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Box Score
GREENSBURG, Pa. (Feb. 26) – A buzzer-beating, half-court shot sank the Vulcans, as they were defeated 72-69 by Seton Hill Wednesday night in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action at the McKenna Center.
The California University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team falls to 17-8 overall and 11-5 in conference play. Cal U is secured into the No. 3 seed in the upcoming PSAC Tournament and will now host Seton Hill in the opening round on Saturday, March 1, at 7 p.m. Meanwhile, the win clinches the sixth and final spot in the league tournament for the Griffins, who are now 13-13 overall and 5-11 in PSAC play.
Junior
Emma Mahady (Albury, Australia/Xavier) led Cal U and three players in double-figures with 23 points and seven rebounds. Classmate
Irina Kukolj (Harrisonburg, Va./Harrisonburg) added 14 points and a team-high nine rebounds, while junior
Kaitlynn Fratz (Accident, Md./Northern Garrett) tallied 11 points in the loss.
Seton Hill opened up a 22-15 lead over the first eight-plus minutes behind three baskets from beyond the arc, but the Vulcans responded with seven-unanswered points to even the game at 22-22 with 8:49 remaining in the first half. Despite the Griffins ending the run, the Vulcans rallied for another 7-0 run, capped off by a Kukolj three-pointer, to take a 29-24 lead with 5:39 left in the opening half. Cal U struggled in the final five minutes, converting two of its seven attempts from the field, and took a 35-34 lead into halftime.
Seton Hill scored the opening basket of the second half to take the lead, but the Vulcans out-scored the Griffins 17-10 over the next eight minutes to take a 52-46 lead with 11:07 remaining. Seton Hill rallied back to tie the game at 59-59 with 5:06 on the scoreboard and took the lead at 62-61 with a basket-and-one with 4:06 left in regulation. Seton Hill scored the game's next five points to extend its lead to 67-61 with just over two minutes remaining in the game.
The Vulcans trailed 69-63 after a Seton Hill basket with 51 seconds remaining in the game, but the Vulcans scored the next six points, including a jumper in the lane by Mahady with five seconds remaining. On the ensuing play, Griffin senior Paige Alviani hesitated near the center line and banked in a half-court shot as time expired to give Seton Hill the win.
Cal U shot 44.1 percent (26-for-59) from the field compared to the 55.6 percent (30-for-54) posted by Seton Hill. The Griffins held a 46-28 advantage in points in the paint, mostly from senior Katie Gattuso, who led the team with 21 points.
The Vulcans will host Seton Hill for the second time this season, as the teams will meet in the opening round of the PSAC Tournament on Saturday, March 1. The opening tip is set for 7 p.m.
