SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. (Feb. 25) – Senior Irina Kukolj (Harrisonburg, Va./Harrisonburg) scored a career-high 24 points on Wednesday evening, as the Vulcans earned the second seed from the Western Division in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament with a 74-48 victory at Slippery Rock in divisional play.

With the win, the California University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team closes out the regular season with a 23-4 overall record behind a 19-3 mark in league action. As the second seed, the Vulcans earned a first-round bye and will host a quarterfinals game on Tuesday, March 3, at 7 p.m. Meanwhile, Slippery Rock falls to 11-15 this season with a 7-15 record in conference play. The Rock qualified for the league tournament as the sixth seed in the PSAC West by virtue of a tiebreaker with Pitt-Johnstown.

Kukolj led all players with 24 points after making 10-of-20 attempts from the field, including three-of-eight from long range. She also totaled six rebounds, six assists and four steals in the victory while playing 37 minutes. Kukolj is averaging 14.8 points while shooting 47.9 percent (23-of-48) from the floor, including 46.7 percent (7-of-15) from beyond the arc, over her last four games.

Freshman Seairra Barrett (Center Twp., Pa./Central Valley) registered her first career double-double, setting career highs with both 17 points and 12 rebounds (five offensive) off the bench. Senior Emma Mahady (Albury, Australia/Xavier) and sophomore Miki Glenn (Bridgeport, W.Va./Bridgeport) both finished with eight points, while Glenn also collected eight rebounds, three assists and two steals.

The Vulcans and Rock combined for eight lead changes and four ties in the first half with neither team holding a lead of more than six points. Kukolj led all players with 12 points in the first half, scoring all of her points in the opening 12 minutes to help the Vulcans take an 18-15 lead. Midway through the half, Cal U mounted an 11-5 run over nearly six minutes to take a 23-18 lead on a jumper by sophomore CeCe Dixon (Munhall, Pa./Steel Valley) at the 5:35-mark. The Vulcans later took their largest lead of the first half at 28-22 after senior Kaitlynn Fratz (Accident, Md./Northern Garrett) converted a pair of free-throws with 2:235 left to play. Slippery Rock then scored the next five-straight points to cut the deficit to 28-27 before Cal U took a 30-27 lead at halftime after forcing 16 turnovers in the first half.

Cal U seized control of the game early in the second half by scoring 21-consecutive points over a span of seven-plus minutes to take a 54-31 lead on a pair of free-throws by Glenn with 11:20 left to play. Kukolj and Glenn combined for 16 points during the run, while Slippery Rock committed 10 turnovers and missed all five shots. The Rock answered with a 15-2 run to cut the deficit to 56-46 with 5:34 remaining before the Vulcans closed the game on an 18-2 rally to earn the 74-48 victory.
 
The Vulcans finished the game shooting 36.1 percent (26-of-72) from the floor despite making just 22.7 percent (5-of-22) from beyond the arc. In comparison, The Rock shot at a 40.4 clip (21-of-52) from the field while managing to make only one field goal over the last eight minutes of the game. Cal U held a 46-44 rebounding margin behind 17 offensive rebounds, while also forcing 29 turnovers and collecting 17 steals.

Junior Taylor Siggers scored a team-high 22 points on 10-of-22 shooting in the loss, while senior D'Asia Chambers finished with 11 points and nine rebounds.

Cal U is idle this weekend before hosting the winner of Slippery Rock-Gannon in the quarterfinals of the PSAC Tournament on Tuesday in Hamer Hall at 7 p.m.