ERIE, Pa. (Jan. 22) – The California University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team was held to its fewest point total in over three decades on Wednesday evening while dropping a 66-40 contest at Gannon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action.
With the loss, the Vulcans drop to 13-5 overall with a 7-5 mark in league play. Cal U had won the previous 10 meetings in the series against Gannon, including four-straight games at the Hammermill Center. Meanwhile, the Lady Knights improve to 13-5 this season behind a 10-2 record in conference action under new head coach Cleve Wright, who is in his second stint with the program.
Sophomore
Shauna Harrison (Sheffield, England/Myerscough) led the team with nine points on just 4-of-13 shooting, including one-of-eight from long range. She also posted four rebounds and one block while playing a team-high 34 minutes on Wednesday.
Senior
Citiana Negatu (Silver Spring, Md./Blake) tallied four points, five rebounds and two blocks in 19 minutes off the bench. Sophomore
Brionna Allen (Pittsburgh, Pa./Bishop Canevin) finished with six points and five rebounds at Gannon, while the team's top two leading scorers this year were limited to a combined two points in the losing effort.
The Vulcans scored the opening basket of the game and held the Lady Knights scoreless until the 6:08-mark of the first quarter. Gannon tallied seven of the next eight points before a three-pointer by Cal U trimmed the deficit to 7-6 with 2:18 left. The Lady Knights took a 13-8 lead at the end of the first quarter before the Vulcans cut the deficit to 16-12 on a layup by Allen with 8:45 remaining before halftime. Gannon responded with a 14-2 run to stretch the lead to 30-14 at the 4:39-mark of the second quarter. Cal U was held scoreless for over six minutes before Negatu converted a three-point play in the final seconds of the first half, 30-17.
Gannon opened the third quarter on a 10-2 run to extend the lead to 40-19 at the 6:02-mark. The Vulcans scored a pair of baskets before being held scoreless for the final four minutes of the quarter, as the Lady Knights built a 46-23 lead. Cal U began the fourth quarter on a 10-2 rally, including seven points by Harrison, to trim the deficit to 48-33 with 7:20 left to play. The Vulcans were then limited to just one field goal over the next four minutes, as the Lady Knights mounted a 14-2 run to seize a 62-35 lead at the 3:29-mark.
The Vulcans shot a season-low 24.6 percent (16-of-65) from the field while going just 4-of-26 (15.4 percent) from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, the Lady Knight converted at a 46.3 percent (25-of-54) from the field and went 10-of-13 (76.9 percent) from the charity stripe. Gannon finished with a 46-32 rebounding advantage, while both teams forced 19 turnovers in the contest.
Sophomore Tori Obenrader, the 2019 PSAC West Freshman of the Year, scored a team-high 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting and added five rebounds and two assists. Senior Chelsea Rourke finished with 15 points, nine rebounds and four blocks, while classmate Haley Tewes added 12 points and nine rebounds. Sophomore Boston McKinney recorded 11 assists in the victory.
Cal U returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 25, when it begins a three-game homestand, starting against Mercyhurst at 1 p.m.
