Feb 23, 2019 3 min read

CALIFORNIA – Last month, the California University went to IUP and handed the top-ranked NCAA Division II women’s basketball team its first loss of the season, 61-56.

Saturday afternoon, and one month to the day from their first meeting, the 18th-ranked Vulcans handed the third-ranked Crimson Hawks their second loss of the season, 73-65, on Senior Day at the Convocation Center.

“When we play hard and with energy, we are usually successful,” said Cal coach Jess Strom. “When we bring the enthusiasm and focus, it is hard to play against our defense.”

Abbey Sporio led Cal with 18 points and the senior talked about the win.

“The fact that it was IUP, usually teams get easier teams (as a Senior Day opponent) so we knew we had to go hard,” she said. “I feel that we play well against really good teams and I am so proud as everyone did great today.”

The Crimson Hawks controlled most the first quarter and they opened up their biggest lead of the game, 20-11, with 52 seconds left in the quarter.

However, a pair of Cal three-pointers in the last minute trimmed the IUP lead to 20-17. With the score 20-11, Cal’s Bianca Jasper hit a three-pointer with 30 seconds left in the quarter and then Jiahnna Flood-Francis made a shot from beyond the arc at the buzzer to give the Vulcans the momentum.

“We don’t typically make a lot of shots, so when we are making them, it definitely lifts us up,” Strom said of the three-pointers. “Even toward the end, when they were coming back, unexpected players hit threes. Different players hit big shots all game.”

Cal, which came in making less than 31 percent on the season from behind the arc, made 10 of 21 three-pointers (47.6 percent) in the game.

“This year, we have been trying to give them more confidence and they have been in the gym these last two or three weeks more than ever,” Strom said. “It is about muscle memory and being confident.”

Cal carried the momentum into the second quarter and tied the score at 28-28 with 4:48 left in the first half when Sporio made consecutive shots. The Vulcans took control and opened up a 41-33 lead at the half.

The Vulcans held its biggest lead of the game, 56-42, with 2:45 to go in the third quarter and Cal led going into the fourth, 56-47.

The Crimson Hawks would get no closer than five points in the fourth and Cal closed out the game at the foul line as it made five of six free throws in the last 90 seconds.

Cal shot 40.7 percent from the field, though IUP shot 50.9 percent.

Flood-Francis finished with 17 points while Seairra Bennett led Cal with nine rebounds.

Cal seniors Sporio, Flood-Francis, Barrett and Emily Suckling were honored before the game.

IUP’s Lexi Griggs led all scorers with 28 points as she made 13 of 14 shots.

The Vulcans have clinched a spot in the PSAC tournament and still have a chance to win the West Division, although IUP must lose at least one more time in the final week of the regular season.

Cal is at Seton Hill on Wednesday and at Clarion Saturday to close the regular season.