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CALIFORNIA, Pa. – The Kutztown University women's basketball team led 23rd-ranked California University (PA) for the entire first half, but a lengthy run to start the second half pushed the Vulcans to a 74-66 win on their home floor on Wednesday night at the Cal U Convocation Center.
 
Kelsey Watson (Collegeville, Pa./Methacton) earned her first start of the season on Wednesday for the Golden Bears (3-5, 2-4 PSAC), after notching her first double-double of the season on Tuesday night at Seton Hill (15 pts. 13 reb.). She responded well to the start with a team-high 13 points, 10 coming in the first half, with nine rebounds and five assists. Her only points in the second half came on an and-1 with 34 seconds left.
 
Advia Campbell (Mount Laurel, N.J./Lenape) and Natalya Lee (Feasterville, Pa./Rancocas Valley Regional) also scored a team-best 13 points. Campbell shot 5-of-7 from the field and made all three of her free throws, and Lee grabbed seven rebounds and dished out a game-high six assists.
 
Kutztown, the best rebounding team in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC), out-rebounded the Vulcans by 10 (46-36), but was -10 in turnovers at 22-12.
 
Notably, of California's (9-1, 6-0) nine wins this year, this was the first to come by single-digits.
 
Watson came out aggressive and scored four points and grabbed a steal to help KU score the first eight points of the game. KU held onto its early lead for the remainder of the half as it out-rebounded California (PA) 28-16 and led 33-28 at halftime. Watson tallied 10 points, seven rebounds and four assists in the first 20 minutes.
 
The nationally-ranked Vulcans came out strong to start the second half though and scored the first 11 points to take their first lead of the game at 39-33. The run was capped at 21-1 including the final four points of the first half, as California (PA) led 45-34 just six minutes into the second half.
 
The Golden Bears closed the run midway through the second half and brought themselves back within five points with 1:18 to play. It was the closest KU was within the Vulcans since the opening minutes of the half, but it was as close as they would get.
 
California (PA) was led by Kaitlynn Fratz's 22 points, her second straight night with 22. She shot 7-for-14 from the field and made 8-of-9 free throws. She also tallied a team-high five assists.
 
Emma Mahady finished with 15 points and six rebounds, Miki Glenn scored 11 points, and Irina Kukolj rounded out the quartet of double-digit scorers with 10 points and a team-high nine rebounds.
 
Kutztown returns home and faces Slippery Rock University at Keystone Arena on Saturday, Dec. 20 at 1 p.m. KU looks to avenge a 69-61 loss on the road to The Rock last season.