CLARION, Pa. (Jan. 19) – Three players scored in double-figures and combined for 51 points, as the Vulcans rolled to a 71-47 victory at Clarion in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action on Wednesday evening.
With the win, the California University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team improves to 9-2 this season behind a 4-2 mark in conference play. The Vulcans have won 19-consecutive games in the series dating back to the 2011-12 campaign. Meanwhile, the Golden Eagles fall to 3-12 overall and 2-8 in league action.
Junior
Dejah Terrell (Reading, Pa./Berks Catholic) recorded her fourth double-double of the season, as she finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds. She shot 7-of-19 from the floor and added a season-high five blocks while playing 35 minutes on Wednesday.
Classmate
Ciaira Loyd (Scranton, Pa./Scranton) finished with 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting, including three-of-six from behind the arc. She added a team-high seven assists in 35 minutes of action. Fellow junior
Brionna Allen (Pittsburgh, Pa./Bishop Canevin) tallied 15 points, four rebounds and a season-high four steals, while junior
Lauren Bennett (Buckhannon, W.Va./Buckhannon-Upshur) collected eight points and five rebounds.
The teams opened the contest by trading the initial 10 points before the Vulcans mounted a 12-2 run to hold a 17-7 lead with 3:22 remaining in the first quarter. Clarion responded with a 6-4 run when it went three-of-three from the field to cut the deficit to 21-13 at the end of the first. Cal U opened the second quarter on an 8-2 run to extend its lead to 29-15 led by Loyd and Bennett. After trading baskets, both teams went scoreless over the next two minutes before the Golden Eagles ended the half by scoring six of the next 10 points to cut the deficit to 35-23.
Cal U opened the second half by scoring 12-consecutive points to extend its lead to 47-23 with 6:08 remaining. After a Loyd layup, the two teams went almost three minutes without a basket before the Vulcans scored seven of the next nine points to hold a 55-28 advantage at the end of the third quarter. Clarion raced out to a 10-4 run to trim the lead to 59-38 with 5:34 reaming in regulation. Cal U responded with a 10-5 run, led by Terrell and Loyd to hold a 69-43 advantage. The Golden Eagles scored four of the final six points before the Vulcans secured the victory.
Cal U finished the game shooting 46.0 percent (29-of-63) from the field, including 7-of-19 (36.8 percent) from behind the arc. Meanwhile, the Clarion finished the game shooting 38.0 percent (19-of-50) from the field and just 6-of-23 (26.1 percent) from three-point range. The Vulcans held a 36-32 rebound advantage behind 13 offensive rebounds and forced 27 turnovers in the victory.
Freshman Sierra Bermudez paced the Golden Eagles with 21 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the field, including five-of-eight from behind the arc. Classmate Cory Santoro finished with 11 points, while sophomore Allyson Kirby led the team with six rebounds and two steals.
Cal U returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 22, when it travels to Erie, Pennsylvania, to face Mercyhurst in PSAC West play at 1 p.m.
