LHU Women’s Basketball upsets #13 California (Pa.) on the road, extends winning-streak to nine
CALIFORNIA– Facing its toughest task through the early portion of the season, the Lock Haven women’s basketball team went on the road to face 13th-ranked California (Pa.) and came away with an impressive 69-58 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) victory on Tuesday night (Dec. 19).
Off to their best start in over 30 years, the Bald Eagles improve to 9-1 overall and remain undefeated in the PSAC (4-0). Lock Haven handed the 13th-ranked team in the country, Cal (8-2, 3-1 PSAC), its second loss overall and first in conference.
Lock Haven, who currently sits at No. 8 in the Atlantic Region rankings, is the only unbeaten team remaining in the PSAC East and sits atop the standings. The Haven has won nine games in a row and hasn’t lost since the first game of the season.
Jenadia Jordan (York, Pa./Linden Hall) was a force on both ends of the court and poured in a game-high 20 points to go with four steals, four rebounds and two blocks.
Alana Robinson (Rockaway, N.J./Pope John Paul II) also scored in double figures, dropping 13 points to go with five rebounds and a game-high four blocks. Robinson has seven blocks over the two games this week.
Rhlyn Rouse (York, Pa./York Tech) was a crucial component to the victory off the bench and finished with 11 points and seven rebounds.
Taylor Leidy (Alexandria, Pa./Juniata Valley) added a team-high three assists and went 4-of-4 at the free throw line.
The Vulcans led 33-30 coming out of the break, but the Bald Eagles responded by taking the third period, 17-13, before putting the nail in the coffin by outscoring Cal, 22-12, in the fourth quarter.
Despite the Bald Eagles dominant third quarter, Cal took a 48-47 lead with 8:45 remaining in the game.
However, Lock Haven responded with an 8-4 run over the next three minutes to lead 56-51 with 6:12 to go.
The Bald Eagles held a slim lead over the next three minutes, but back-to-back Cal buckets tied the game at 56-56 at the 3:26 mark.
The contest remained back-and-fourth until the final minute when Jordan collected a loose ball at midcourt and connected with Rhouse to extend the Lock Haven lead to, 64-58, with 51 seconds to go.
As they did all night long, the Bald Eagles lived at the charity stripe in the fourth quarter and knocked down 9-of-12 chances.
Both teams mirrored production on the offensive end, but the Bald Eagles outscored the Vulcans by 14 points at the free throw line for the game.
In a battle of the top teams from the PSAC Eastern and Western Division, the first half was as advertised and California took a slim, 33-30, lead into halftime.
In the first half, the Vulcans were red-hot from the floor and shot 54 percent (14-of-26), however, the Bald Eagles did the bulk of their damage from the charity stripe, knocking down 10-of-14 shots.
Both teams committed 11 turnovers in the first half, while Cal held a slight, 15-13, advantage on the glass.
NEXT UP
The Bald Eagles return to the court after Christmas and will host Slippery Rock University at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 30 inside Thomas Fieldhouse in a PSAC crossover contest.
