CALIFORNIA (Nov. 15) – The No. 2 California University of Pennsylvania women’s basketball team opened the 2008-09 regular season in impressive fashion, cruising to a 117-36 victory over Salem International University in the first day of the Masontown Trophy Tip-Off Classic. Under first-year head coach Heather Kearney, the Vulcans scored the second-most points in school history against the Tigers behind only the record of 119 scored against Lincoln University (1988). The 36 points allowed by Cal U is its fewest since the 2004-05 season.
Senior guard Crystal Andrews (Johnstown, Pa./Johnstown) registered her first career triple-double with 11 points, 11 assists and 10 steals. She made five-of-nine attempts from the floor and was one of seven Vulcans to score in double-figures against Salem International, who featured only seven players on the roster.
Junior guard Brooque Williams (Pittsburgh, Pa./Perry) added a double-double with a game-high 24 points and 12 rebounds. She made 12-of-17 attempts from the floor and added five assists and four steals.
Sophomore forward Kayla Smith (Elkins, W.Va./Elkins) finished with 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting and added six rebounds and four steals. Senior guard Lindsay Johnson (New Springfield, Ohio/Springfield) and junior forward Kara Waltenbaugh (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) both tallied 11 points, while freshman Kristin Kalsek (Canton, Ohio/East Canton) and sophomore Angelina Jacobs (Detroit, Mich./Crockett Technical) each scored 10 points off the bench.
The Vulcans held a 14-7 lead midway through the first half before scorning an impressive 26-straight points over a six-plus minute span to claim a sizeable 40-7 lead. Cal U eventually increased its first-half lead to as many as 41 points, 53-12, when Smith bucketed a lay-up with 1:00 minute left in the half.
The quick scores continued for the Vulcans in the second half, as they opened the period on an 11-0 run before eventually increasing their lead to as many as 83 points, 117-34, with 1:12 remaining.
For the game, Cal U shot a stunning 59.8 percent (52-of-87) from the floor, including 65.9 percent (29-of-44) in the second half. Meanwhile, the Tigers shot just 18.4 percent (7-of-38) from the field and 2-of-10 from beyond the arc. The Vulcans held a commanding 46-25 advantage on the glass and scored 24 second-chance points on 22 offensive rebounds.
Behind the 10 steals by Andrews, Cal U finished the game with 51 points off 39 Salem International turnovers. The Vulcans dominated from in close, scoring 80 points from inside the paint, and totaled 50 fast-break points.
All 13 of Vulcans who appeared in the game scored at least two points and played at least four minutes.
Cal U concludes play in the tip-off classic tomorrow, Sunday, Nov. 16, when it hosts West Virginia Wesleyan College for a 4 p.m. start. The Bobcats suffered a 64-40 loss to No. 11 Indiana University of Pennsylvania in the other opening-round game of the four-team tournament.
