CALIFORNIA, Pa. – The Golden Eagle women's basketball team fell in their penultimate game of the season, dropping a 62-42 decision against Cal U on Saturday afternoon. Clarion played the Vulcans evenly in the second half, but a strong first half by Cal U sealed the deal in the win.
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The teams combined for 31 points apiece in the last 20 minutes of play, with the Golden Eagles outscoring the Vulcans 14-12 in the third quarter and the latter outpacing the former 19-17 in the fourth. The damage had already been done, though, as Cal U held a 20-point lead at the halftime break.
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Sierra Bermudez led Clarion with 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting, including a 4-of-8 day from beyond the three-point line.
Jada Smith added 10 points and six rebounds, while
Charjae Brock pulled down a team-high eight rebounds.
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The Vulcans opened the game on an 11-2 run but the Golden Eagles pushed back, cutting it to 13-8 on a trey by Bermudez.
Olivia Boocks added one of her own with 1:07 remaining in the first quarter, taking a pass from Bermudez and sinking the long-distance shot to make it a two-point game. The Golden Eagles had the opportunity to pull within one point on their last possession of the quarter, but Brock's last-second attempt was off the mark as Clarion trailed 15-11 at the first break.
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Cal U took control in the second quarter, outscoring the Golden Eagles by 16 to take a 20-point lead at the halftime break. Smith scored the first eight points of the second half to re-take some of the momentum, starting with a midrange jumper on the opening possession. Smith scored a layup in the paint to make it 31-15, made a pair of free throws a minute later, and capped her personal 8-0 run with a make in the paint at the 6:57 mark.
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That was the closest Clarion would get in the third quarter and for the remainder of the game as the Vulcans once again took control. Ciaira Loyd made it a 20-point game with a bucket on the first possession of the fourth quarter, and the lead hovered around that mark for the rest of the quarter.
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