EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. (Dec. 3) – Behind 50 combined points from senior Shatara Parsons (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) and junior Mia Cushon (Raytown, Mo./Raytown South), the No. 4 Vulcans earned a 78-69 victory at East Stroudsburg on Sunday afternoon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Crossover play.

With the win, the California University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team improves to 7-1 overall behind a 4-0 record in conference action. Meanwhile, the Warriors drop to 5-3 this season with a 3-1 mark in league play after being selected the preseason favorite in the PSAC East.

Parsons set a career high with 33 points after shooting 13-of-17 from the floor and 7-of-10 from the free-throw line. She also tallied eight rebounds, two assists and four blocks while playing 37 minutes on Sunday. Parsons has already registered six 20-point games this year, scoring at least 30 points twice, after entering the year with nine 20-point games in her career.

Cushon tallied 17 points, nine rebounds (three offensive) and three steals against the Warriors. She made 5-of-11 from the field and converted seven-of-seven from the charity stripe. Cushon is averaging 12.6 points and 9.3 rebounds per game after playing the previous two seasons at MCC-Penn Valley (Mo.).

Junior Jiahna Flood-Francis (Pittsburgh, Pa./West Mifflin) posted seven points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals on Sunday. Redshirt sophomore Natalia Casals (Granollers, Spain/Escola Municipal del Treball) finished with eight points, three rebounds, four assists and three steals while playing 30 minutes.

Cal U scored the opening eight points of the game and built a 24-8 lead at the end of the first quarter after making 10-of-14 from the floor and forcing seven turnovers. The Warriors scored five-straight points midway through the second quarter to cut the deficit to 27-15 with 4:33 left before halftime. The Vulcans countered with an 11-3 run to take their largest lead of the game at 38-18 on a layup by junior Abbey Sporio (Elizabeth, Pa./Elizabeth Forward) at the 1:53-mark. ESU closed the second quarter on an 8-2 run, as Cal U took a 40-26 lead at the break.

The Warriors continued to trim the deficit in the opening minutes of the third quarter by mounting a 12-5 rally to make it a 45-38 contest at the 5:55-mark. Cal U responded with a 10-2 run with Parsons accounting for seven points, as the Vulcans stretched the lead to 55-40 with 3:16 left in the quarter. Midway through the fourth quarter, ESU mounted another run and eventually cut the deficit to single digits, 75-66, with 1:42 remaining. Cushon made a layup on the ensuing possession before the Warriors were unable make a field goal over the last 90 seconds.

Cal U shot over a blistering 70 percent in the first quarter and finished the game with a .538 field-goal percentage (28-of-52) while attempting only three three-pointers. Meanwhile, ESU made 40.0 percent (25-of-60) from the floor while going just 4-of-20 from long range (20.0 percent). The Vulcans held a sizeable 38-28 rebounding advantage and forced 20 turnovers, which were converted into 22 points.

Senior Imani Brown, an All-PSAC East First-Team selection last year, set a career high 31 points while shooting 11-of-28 from the floor and 7-of-12 from the free-throw line. Sophomore Tiffany Lapotsky finished with 19 points and four rebounds, while classmate Jordan Hertz tallied eight points, three rebounds, five assists and five steals.

The Vulcans return to action on Saturday, Dec. 9, when they travel to face Shippensburg in a meeting of division winners from last season.