Cal U's 20th-ranked women's basketball team kept its hold on first place in the PSAC West Division Wednesday with a runaway 79-64 win over host University of Pitt-Johnstown.
The Vulcans (20-3, 17-2) used a monster 5:42 run in the first half to turn a deficit into a rout.
Cal U trailed 22-15 with 10:45 left in the first half when the Vulcans went on a 23-2 run. Cal scored the game's next 13 points and led 28-22 when Seairra Barrett hit a jumper with 7:10 left.
After UPJ (9-13, 6-12) scored, Cal ran off the next 10 points to go up 38-24 after Irina Kukolj scored with 5:03 left in the half.
The Vulcans led at halftime, 45-29, as they shot a sizzling 45 percent from the field, hitting 17 of 38 shots.
Cal U also played strong defense, forcing 11 turnovers in the first half. For the game, UPJ had 23 turnovers to Cal's 13.
Cal led by 20 or more points a good portion of the second half as they rolled to their sixth straight win and ninth in the last 10 games.
UPJ posted an 11-3 rally early in the second half to cut the deficit to 54-44 before Cal answered with eight straight points to stretch the lead to 62-44 on a layup by Kaitlynn Fratz with 9:13 remaining. After a basket by the Lady Cats, the Vulcans mounted a 13-3 run over four-plus minutes to take their largest lead of the game at 75-49 on a jumper by Fratz with 4:49 left to play.
Kukolj led a group of six Vulcans in double figures with 17 points, including 13 in the first half when she also grabbed six rebounds.
Lana Doran scored 15, Kaitlynn Fratz 14, Miki Glenn 12 and Barrett and Emma Mahady had 10 each.
Kukolj (7-12) and Doran (6-9) combined to hit 13 of 21 shots from the field.
Kukolj finished with nine rebounds, while Barrett had eight. Glenn had eight assists, six in the first half, and Fratz had five steals.
UPJ was led by Jasmine Harper with 22 points and eight rebounds while Nicole Carman had 16 points and 10 rebounds.
MenUPJ 56, Cal U 52
In the nightcap, the Vulcans (13-11, 9-10) bowed after a tight battle with UPJ (12-10, 9-9).
Cal trailed at halftime, 26-25, but took its biggest lead (37-32) lead in the second half with 11:52 to play on a basket by Jake Jacubec.
The Wildcats battled back down the stretch and sealed the game when A.J. Leahey made two free throws with two seconds to play.
Richard Smith had 16 points, eight rebounds and three steals for the Vulcans.
UPJ got 21 points and 17 rebounds from Ian Vescovi. Leahey added 15 points.
The Vulcans, who have lost five of their last six games, dropped into sixth place in the West standings.
