CALIFORNIA (Jan. 27) – Led by nearly a triple-double from senior forward Shatara Parsons (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin), the No. 14 California University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team posted a 61-41 victory over Slippery Rock at the Convocation Center on Saturday afternoon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play.

With the win, the Vulcans improve to 18-3 overall behind a 13-2 mark in league action. Cal U also moved into first place in the divisional standings by a half-game, as IUP suffered a loss at Mercyhurst and Edinboro was idle on Saturday. Meanwhile, The Rock falls to 10-10 this season with an 8-7 record in conference play.

Parsons scored 25 points (15 first half) after shooting 12-of-22 from the floor and collected 11 rebounds (four offensive) for her seventh double-double of the year. She also registered a career-high eight blocks, which are the most by a Cal U player since Suzie Gyarfas totaled 12 blocks against West Chester in the 2003 NCAA Tournament. Parsons continues to lead the league in scoring at 21.6 points per game, while ranking second in the conference with 3.0 blocks per game and seventh with 7.9 rebounds per game.

Junior Abbey Sporio (Elizabeth, Pa./Elizabeth Forward) posted nine points, four assists and five steals off the bench, while classmate Mia Cushon (Raytown, Mo./Raytown South) finished with nine points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals. Sophomore Gina Vallecorsa (Pittsburgh, Pa./Bishop Canevin) added seven points and a career-high seven rebounds while making the start.

Cal U opened the game on a 13-3 run with Vallecorsa scoring all seven of her points during that span. The Rock scored the last four points of the first quarter to cut the deficit to 13-7 before the Vulcans responded with the opening six points of the second quarter to stretch the lead back to 19-7. The teams traded points for the next four minutes before Cal U scored the last six points of the quarter to take a 33-15 lead at the break.

Neither team scored more than four-straight points in the third quarter, as the Vulcans maintained a 47-30 lead entering the final 10 minutes on Saturday. Cal U mounted a 14-4 run at the beginning of the fourth quarter to stretch its lead to as many as 27 points, 61-34, with 3:25 left to play. The Rock scored the last seven points of the game to cut the final deficit to 61-41.

Cal U finished the game shooting 41.5 percent (27-of-65) from the floor with just one three-pointer. The Rock managed just a .255 field-goal percentage (14-of-55) after making only five shots in the first half. Slippery Rock held a 45-39 rebounding advantage, while Cal U forced 22 turnovers and scored 26 fastbreak points.

Senior Sierra Fordham led Slippery Rock with 11 points in the losing effort, while sophomore Leeann Gibson added eight points and six rebounds. The Rock's leading scorer, senior Brooke Hinderliter, was held to a season-low four points on 1-of-10 shooting.

The Vulcans are idle for a week before traveling to face No. 15 Edinboro on Saturday, Feb. 3, at 1 p.m.