KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Kutztown defense stepped up, holding California (Pa.) without a field goal in the fourth quarter as the offense attempted to comeback from down double-digits. But time just ran out on KU, dropping the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) crossover game against Cal, 48-47, Friday afternoon at Keystone Arena.
The Golden Bears (5-6 overall, 3-2 PSAC) found themselves trailing by 15 (45-30) after the third quarter, but scored the first 11 points of the fourth in the opening 4:03. They were behind by as many as 17 (45-28) with 2:23 left in the third. That was the last time that the Vulcans (7-4, 3-2) connected on a field goal the rest of the way.
Kutztown pulled to within 45-41 with 5:57 left to play and then as close as 46-44 with 1:03 to go. KU then had a chance to tie or take the lead following a missed Vulcans 3-point attempt and
Annie Whalen (Ivyland, Pa./Archbishop Wood) rebound. But the ensuing offensive possession came up empty for KU. Three straight misses from the field by the Golden Bears, all within a span of 0:27, before a Cal defensive rebound with 0:05 remaining gave Halle Herrington two free-throws with 1.7 to go. She connected on both to put her team up by four before a
Abbey Hearn (Lewes, Del./Cape Henlopen) 3-pointer went in as time expired.
Hearn led all scorers with 21 points and added seven rebounds. She was the lone Golden Bear in double figures.
Casey Remolde (Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) and
Zara Zerman (Jonestown, Pa./Northern Lebanon) were both close, finishing with nine and eight points, respectively. Whalen recorded five points, while
Sydney Pierson (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown) added three points and 11 rebounds.
Olivia Smelas (Jim Thorpe, Pa./Jim Thorpe) rounded out the scoring for KU with one point.
Talia Gillard led the Vulcans with 12 points and Rajah Fink had 11.
Both teams struggled from the floor offensively. KU shot 30.2% (13-for-43) and Cal shot 29.5% (18-of-61).
Kutztown will play its next game in the 2023 calendar on the road in another PSAC crossover game. KU will take on Pitt-Johnstown on Wednesday, Jan. 4, at 5:30 p.m.
