Record victory for Cal’s head coach
California University head coach Jeff Strom broke the all-time school record for victories Saturday night, as the Vulcans opened the season with a 76-60 victory over West Liberty at the Mountain East Conference/PSAC Challenge hosted by Mercyhurst.
The win was the 213th for Strom, breaking a tie held with Darcie Vincent (2000-08) since March 2020. Strom is beginning her 11th season as head coach of the Vulcans.
Cal disposed of Charleston, 63-54, Sunday afternoon for her 214th victory.
Against Mercyhurst, junior transfer Ciaira Lloyd led Cal with 19 points in her Vulcans debut. Sophomore Oliva Hudson had 16 points before fouling out. Junior Brionna Allen added 12 points.
The Vulcans led 28-27 at halftime, then used a 22-6 run early in the third quarter to take a 49-36 advantage.
In the Charleston victory, three players scored in double figures.
Dejah Terrell led the Vulcans with 17 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double. Allen scored 13 points and Lloyd added 10.
Trinity Palacio led Charleston with 15 points and Dakota Reeves had 12.
Marietta 65, Wash & Jeff 52: Despite rallying from a 20-point third-quarter deficit to draw to within one midway through the fourth quarter, Washington & Jefferson lost 65-52 to visiting Marietta College in its season opener Saturday evening at Salvitti Family Gymnasium.
Senior Piper Morningstar led W&J with a team-high 14 points. Freshman Adalyn Cherry put together a strong collegiate debut with 13 points, six rebounds and four assists off of the bench.
Marietta led 39-19 early in the third quarter before W&J put together a comeback and pulled to within 49-48 after a three-pointer by freshman Bryn Bezjak. That would be as close as the Presidents would get as Marietta would use a 14-0 spurt to seal the win.
Men’s results
Waynesburg 60, Penn State Behrend 57, OT: Matt Popeck scored a game-high 18 points and Nijon Kirkman had a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds as Waynesburg pulled out a 60-57 win in overtime at Penn State-Behrend.
After Behrend (1-1) erased a 10-point second-half deficit to send gthe game to overtime tied at 54-54, Kirkman scored six of his points in the extra session when Waynesburg (1-1) outscored Behrend by a 6-3 margin.
Waynesburg’s Jansen Knotts had nine points and nine rebounds.
California 93, Glenville State 89: Senior guards Brent Pegram and Preston Boswell combined for 45 points as California edged Glenville State 93-89 Saturday afternoon at the Mountain East/PSAC Challenge in Charleston, W.Va.
Pegram led the Vulcans (2-0) with 23 points. Boswell followed with 22 points on 7-of-10 shooting and eight-of-nine from the free-throw line.
Freshman Keith Palek recorded a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. He made 9-of-10 from the free-throw line. Zyan Collins finished with 12 points and Phillip Alston had 10.
Cal trailed 50-46 at halftime despite 16 points from Pegram. The Vulcans used a 12-1 run early in the second half to take a 58-54 lead A 10-2 spurt opened a double-digit lead. Glenville State did pull to within two points with four seconds remaining, but Palek made two free throws to seal the win.
The Vulcans made 32 of 27 free throws.
Glenville’s John Williams scored a game-high 32 points.