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Complete
Box Score
EDINBORO, PA – The clock read 1:34, and
the Edinboro University women’s basketball team held a 59-55
lead over California(Pa.) on the Vulcans’ home court in the
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championship game. At stake
was the PSAC title and an automatic berth into the NCAA Division
II Playoffs. Like a true champion, California(Pa.) battled back,
and with a little bit of misfortune on Edinboro’s part,
scored the final eight points of the game to claim a 63-59 win.
The Vulcans have now won four PSAC crowns in
the last six seasons, and extended their winning streak to 13
against the Fighting Scots. The win gives Cal a 26-4 record.
Edinboro, meanwhile, is 21-9 and after entering the week ranked
ninth in the East Region, must anxiously await the release of the
Division II playoff field on Sunday night. Eight teams will
represent the region.
Tied at 55-55 with 3:06 remaining, Agnes
Michalow (Krakow, Poland/Krakow #32) gave the Scots a
two-point lead with a layup. Following a Cal miss, Kelly
Calderone (Freedom, PA/Ambridge) came down and made two free
throws with 1:34 to play for a 59-55 lead. They would be Edinboro’s
final points as it turned out.
Megan Storck pulled the Vulcans to within a
basket on a jumper with 1:18 left, and following an Edinboro
turnover, Storck made a layup to tie the score at 59-all with 46
seconds left.
That’s when the game turned into the
female version of Chris Webber’s Michigan gaffe. Calderone
missed a three-pointer at the 27-second mark, with Storck hauling
in the rebound. The Cal point guard turned the ball over, however
with Rae Sherred (Cambridge Springs, PA/Cambridge Springs)
diving for the ball in the corner and coming up with the steal
with seven seconds to play. Surrounded by several Vulcans, she
signaled a timeout which Edinboro did not have. Lisa Gottuso made
the ensuing technical free throws for a 61-59 lead with sevens
ticks to go, and Brehane Dillon added two more after an Edinboro
foul, making it 63-59.
The contest was a see-saw affair, with nine
ties and ten lead changes. Edinboro ran off the final six points
of the first half for a 30-24 lead at intermission, as Sherred hit
a jumper and Calderone made a pair of free throws and a jumper.
The lead grew to eight on Jessi Montie’s (Erie,
PA/McDowell) to start the second half. The Vulcans would rally
to tighten things, but never led by more than two points in the
second half until the finals seconds.
Calderone paced the Fighting Scost with 27
points, making 8of 20 field goals, including three trifectas along
with a perfect 8-for-8 at the line. Sherred joined her in double
figures with 10 points. Callie Iorfido (Ambridge, PA/Ambridge)
added five assists to move into sole possession of second in
career assists in the PSAC with 679.
Kim Nowakowski, the tournament’s MVP, led
the vulcans with 24 points, adding nine rebounds. Gottuso scored
12 points and Storck had 10 points and 12 rebounds.
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