Box Score

CALIFORNIA, Pa.- The Mercyhurst women's basketball team lost, 67-49, at California (Pa.) Saturday afternoon. All 12 Lakers scored in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division contest.
 
With the loss and an Indiana (Pa.) win, the Lakers will travel to IUP for a first-round PSAC Tournament game on Saturday, March 2. The Crimson Hawks swept the season series with Mercyhurst.
 
On Saturday, the Lakers fell behind, 7-0, and eventually trailed, 15-6, with 13:30 left in the half. Four Mercyhurst free throws and a Taylor Krusinski layup cut the deficit to three with 11 minutes remaining. A Stephanie Michael three-pointer gave Cal a 20-13 advantage a few minutes later.
 
Adrienne Kloecker and Dana Banda each scored inside and then Kelley McBroom hit a layup, pulling Mercyhurst down, 20-19, with 7:33 to go. Neither team scored for the next three minutes. A Vulcan basket put the hosts back ahead by three before the teams traded hoops. After two Cal foul shots, Ashley Hines made a jump shot for a 28-21 lead with 2:23 left. A three-point play by Hines in the final minute gave Cal a 33-24 advantage going into the locker room.
 
Hines opened the second period with another three-point play as the Vulcans went up by 11. Layups by Kelsey Trosch and Kristi Ewanick kept the Lakers in it, but hoops by Michael and Elena Antonenko expanded the lead back to 14. Cal maintained a comfortable margin the rest of the way.
 
Foster hit 5-8 shots for 13 points. Banda added seven points, while Kloecker had five points and three assists. Four Vulcans scored in double figures, led by Antonenko, who had 14 points and blocked three shots. Cal held a 27-11 advantage in points off turnovers.
 
Mercyhurst is 7-18 overall and 7-14 in the conference. Cal improved to 18-7 overall and 14-7 in the PSAC.
 
The Lakers will head to Edinboro for the regular season finale on Wednesday, February 27. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. at McComb Fieldhouse.