Women's Hoops: Vulcans top Mansfield 62-50

MANSFIELD, Pa. (Jan. 3) – Senior forward Kayla Smith (Elkins, W.Va./Elkins) registered her 50th career double-double on Monday evening, as the Vulcans earned a 62-50 win over Mansfield in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Crossover action.

With the victory, the California University of Pennsylvania women’s basketball team improves to 6-3 this season. Meanwhile, Mansfield drops to 5-4 overall this year after posting only five victories during the 2009-10 campaign.

Smith finished with season highs of 26 points and 18 rebounds (10 offensive) against the Mountaineers. She shot 9-of-16 from the floor and made 8-of-10 from the free-throw line on Monday. The senior All-America candidate leads the Vulcans with 17.4 points, 14.1 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game this season.

Sophomore Megan Kermond (Adelaide, Australia/Unley) added nine points off the bench after hitting three treys, while fellow guards Danielle Luckett (Chicago, Ill./James Hubert Blake (Md.)) and Stephanie Michael (Morgantown, W.Va./Morgantown) each posted six points.

Leading by five points with four minutes left before halftime, the Vulcans closed the half on a 12-1 rally with Smith scoring eight of her 15 first-half points during that span. In the closing minutes of the first half, Cal U made five-of-seven shots from the field while Mansfield missed its final five shot attempts.

Cal U expanded its lead to 17 points, 50-33, early in the second half before Mansfield scored eight-straight points to trim the deficit to 50-41 with 10:01 remaining. The Vulcans maintained their lead through the second half and sealed the victory with a 7-0 run to take a 62-46 lead on a pair of free-throws by Luckett with 46 seconds left in the game.

After shooting over 50 percent in the first half, the Vulcans made 37.9 percent (22-of-58) from the floor for the game and 31.6 percent (6-of-19) from beyond the arc. The Mountaineers were limited to shooting only 28.6 percent (16-of-56) from the field in the loss. Cal U also made a season-best 80.0 percent (12-of-15) from the free-throw line.

Cal U held a 46-34 advantage on the glass behind 22 offensive rebounds, but committed 22 turnovers. The Vulcans collected 16 assisted on 22 field-goals with a team-high four by Michael.

Junior Mallory Moore led the Mountaineers with 15 points and nine rebounds, while classmate Nicole Pender added 11 points and a team-high five assists and five steals.

The Vulcans continue PSAC Crossover play tomorrow, Tuesday, Jan. 4, when they travel to face Bloomsburg at 5:30 p.m.