Box Score

Erie, Pa. – The Mercyhurst women's basketball team trailed 27-7 after six and a half minutes and, despite trimming the deficit to 10 points late in the first half, dropped a 91-64 decision to No. 3 California (Pa.) Saturday at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center. 

Mercyhurst exhibited balanced scoring Saturday, placing three players in double-figures in scoring, and had two players score nine points. 

The Vulcans played a pressing style of defense the majority of the contest, causing many turnovers and scoring fast-break baskets off of said miscues. Cal (Pa.) controlled play from the opening tap, scoring the first nine points before Stephanie Prischak got the Lakers on the board with a jumper two and a half minutes into the contest. The Vulcans outscored Mercyhurst 26-13 over the next seven minutes and led 35-13 with 10:41 remaining in the first half. 

The Lakers went on a furious 16-4 run over the next seven minutes, cutting the deficit to 10 points at 39-29 with two Amy Achesinski free throws with 3:12 left in the opening half. Junior Kelsey Gordon sparked the Lakers' spurt with six points off the bench, while Achesinski also had six and Prischak and Samantha Loadman added a basket each during the run. Cal scored the final seven points of the half to take a 46-29 lead into intermission. 

Cal caused 18 Laker turnovers in the first half and shot 18-of-29 from the field for 62.1 percent. The Lakers shot 52.4 percent from the field in the first half (11-of-21) and made three out of five three-point attempts. Brooque Williams led the Vulcans with 16 first-half points. 

Cal (Pa.) put the ballgame out of reach in the second half, building their lead to 36 points at 80-44 with 7:29 remaining in the contest. The closest the Lakers trimmed the deficit from then on was 23 points, at 87-64 with 1:30 left in the game. The Vulcans proceeded to score the game's final four points for a 91-64 victory. 

The Vulcans caused 31 turnovers, recording 25 steals on the afternoon which they converted into 46 points. Mercyhurst shot 49 percent from the field and 35.3 percent from three-point range. Cal shot 58.9 percent from the field and 84 percent (21-of-25) from the foul line. The Lakers were outrebounded 32-22.
The Lakers fall to 9-10, 3-3 in the PSAC West with the loss, while the Vulcans are now 17-2, 6-0 in PSAC West play and on an 11-game winning streak. 

Prischak led the Lakers with 16 points on 7-of-17 shooting, including 2-of-5 from behind the arc. She moved ahead of Meredith Koncsol into 11th on Mercyhurst women's basketball's all-time scoring list with 1,045 career points.

Loadman added 10 points and four rebounds while leading the team with six assists and three steals, both career highs. Achesinski also contributed 10 points, going a perfect 4-of-4 from the field and 2-for-2 from the foul line. She led the Lakers with five rebounds. 

Gordon scored a season-high nine points while Megan Hoffman netted a career-high nine markers. Lindsay Whipkey added six points, and Abby Allen contributed four points for the Lakers. 

Brooque Williams led Cal with 22 points. Kayla Smith scored 20 points and Lindsay Johnson added 17. 

The Lakers play host to cross town rival Gannon Wednesday at the MAC at 5:30 p.m. Ticket information is available here.