CLARION, Pa. (Jan. 24) – The No. 14 Vulcans raced out to a 21-2 lead at the end of the first quarter on Wednesday evening before cruising to a 71-39 win at Clarion in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action.

With the victory, the California University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team improves to 17-3 overall behind a 12-2 mark in league play. The Vulcans remain tied for second in the PSAC West standings and continue to sit a half-game back of the divisional leader. Meanwhile, the Golden Eagles dropped their eighth-straight contest to fall to 7-13 this season with a 2-12 record in conference action.

Junior Mia Cushon (Raytown, Mo./Raytown South) led all players with 22 points and 17 rebounds (nine offensive) for her fifth double-double of the season. She shot 9-of-14 from the floor and added four assists and four steals in the victory. The 17 rebounds marked the most by any Cal U player this season.

Senior Shatara Parsons (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) scored 17 points and also collected four rebounds, four blocks and five steals over 31 minutes. Redshirt freshman BeBe George (St. Thomas, V.I./Charlotte Amalie) tallied five points, three rebounds, four assists and three steals in her first career start. Freshman Bianca Jasper (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) registered eight points and six assists off the bench on Wednesday.

The Vulcans opened the game on a 15-0 run before the Golden Eagles made their initial field goal of the game at the 1:40-mark of the first quarter. Clarion missed its opening seven shots of the game and also committed eight turnovers, while Cal U scored 15-unanswered points behind a new starting lineup. Cal U scored six points over the last 90 seconds to stretch its lead to 21-2 at the end of the quarter. The Golden Eagles mounted an 8-2 run midway through the second quarter to cut the deficit to 27-14 with 3:02 left before halftime. The Vulcans responded with nine-straight points to close the quarter and entered the break with a 36-14 lead.

Clarion opened the third quarter on an 8-3 run before Cal U countered with 10-straight points to build a 49-22 lead with 58 seconds left. The Vulcans later posted a 12-2 run over nearly three minutes to take a 61-29 lead before leading by as many as 34 points, 71-37, in the final minute of the contest.

The Vulcans shot nearly 60 percent in the first quarter before finishing the game with a .484 field-goal percentage (31-of-64). Meanwhile, the Golden Eagles made 42.5 percent (17-of-40) from the floor and attempted just six free-throws. Cal U held a sizeable 34-26 rebounding advantage behind 17 offensive rebounds and also forced 30 turnovers, which were converted into 36 points.

Sophomores Tynita White and Tracy Wiehe tied for the team lead with 11 points and Wiehe added eight rebounds and three blocks in the losing effort.

Cal U begins the second round of divisional play on Saturday, Jan. 27, when it hosts Slippery Rock at 1 p.m.