EDINBORO, Pa. (Nov. 13) – Junior
Trinity Balog scored a career-high 30 points on Friday afternoon, as the California (PA) women's basketball team posted a 92-88 victory over West Liberty on the opening day of the MEC/PSAC Conference Challenge.
NOTES
• The Vulcans (1-1) have won nine-straight meetings against the Hilltoppers dating back to the 2016-17 season.
• Balog finished with 30 points on 12-of-26 shooting and six-of-seven from the free-throw line.
• She added six assists and two steals while playing 38 minutes.
• Freshman
Alayla Bivins scored a career-high 19 points on seven-of-nine from the floor.
• Senior
Kennedy Bankett added 16 points off the bench, while senior transfer
Elizabeth Boyd finished with 12 points and nine rebounds.
• West Liberty scored the opening five points of the game before Cal later scored six-straight points to its first lead, 10-9, with 6:11 left in the first quarter.
• Cal led by as many as six points before holding a 28-25 lead at the end of the quarter.
• The Hilltoppers reclaimed the lead at the 7:24-mark of the second quarter and later took a 43-42 lead into halftime.
• Cal went on a 10-2 run early in the third quarter to build a 54-47 lead before West Liberty worked the deficit to two points, 61-59, with 3:48 left.
• The Vulcans rallied off seven-consecutive points and closed the quarter with a 68-63 lead.
• Cal built a double-digit lead, 82-72, with 6:45 remaining in the game before West Liberty trimmed the deficit to a single possession with 21 seconds left, 89-86.
• Balog then made three free-throws over the final two possessions to seal the victory.
• The Vulcans shot nearly 60 percent in the second half and finished the game making 50.0 percent (34-of-68) from the floor.
• Cal also converted 23-of-26 attempts (88.5 percent) from the free-throw line.
NEXT
• Cal returns to action at the MEC/PSAC Conference Challenge tomorrow Saturday, Nov. 14, when it faces Wheeling in Edinboro, Pennsylvania, at 5:30 p.m.
