Feb 22, 2017 3 min read

Mercyhurst senior Natalie Piaggesi scored a team-high 28 points on 11 of 16 shooting to lead Mercyhurst to a 78-72 upset of No. 3 California Wednesday evening in a PSAC West Division women’s game.

Piaggesi also had eight rebounds and three blocks in helping the Lakers hand Cal only it’s second loss of the season.

California fell to 25-2 and 19-2 in the conference. The loss snapped a 14-game winning streak for the Vulcans, whose only other loss was Dec. 30 at Edinboro, 71-54.

The Vulcans hold a one-game lead over IUP for first place in the PSAC West standings and the teams play Saturday in the regular-season finale.

The Lakers improve to 21-6 overall and 16-5 in the conference.

Angela Heintz had a double-double – 13 points and 11 rebounds – plus nine assists, and sophomore Emilee Norris tossed in 11 points, had seven rebounds and two blocks.

Senior Miki Glenn scored a game-high 29 points for Cal, including 10 of 14 from the free-throw line. She also grabbed six rebounds, had seven assists and five steals while playing 40 minutes for the 10th time this season. Glenn became only the fourth player in school history to score over 500 points in a season three times during a career. Sara McKinney, Brooque Williams and Kayla Smith were the others.

Junior forward Seairra Barrett recorded a double-double in the loss, 19 points and 10 rebounds. Shatara Parsons scored 16 points had five rebounds and three blocks. She and Abby Sporio each had three fouls at halftime.

The Vulcans were limited to just eight field goals in the first half before finishing the game shooting 37.9 percent (25 of 66).

The Lakers scored the initial seven points of the game before the Vulcans made their first basket with 5:47 left in the first quarter. Cal took its only lead of the contest, 20-18, on a jumper by sophomore Morgan Jennings at 5:48 of the second quarter. The Lakers responded with a 16-2 run to close the half. The Vulcans made just one of eight shots from the floor during that span.

The Lakers shot at a 41.9 clip (26 of 62) from the field and converted 77.4 percent (24 of 31) from the free-throw line. Mercyhurst held a 45-39 rebounding advantage and finished with a 27-5 edge in bench points.

Waynesburg 71, Westminster 50: Mackenna Drazich scored 17 points to power fourth-seeded Waynesburg University to a 71-50 rout of eighth-seeded Westminster in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference quarterfinals Wednesday evening.

Haley Delaney had a double-double, 11 points and 10 rebounds, and Monica Starre added 12 points, six assists and seven rebounds.

Waynesburg led 30-22 at halftime and outscored the Titans 19-9 in the third for a 49-31 lead.

Waynesburg advances to the semifinals Friday against top-seeded and undefeated Thomas More in Crestview Hills, Ky. Saint Vincent will play W&J in the other semifinal.

Mercyhurst 87, California 82, 2 OT: Lorenzo Colbert hit four consecutive free throws in the final 25 seconds of the second overtime to push Mercyhurst past California, 87-82, in a PSAC West Division game in Erie.

Collier also hit a three-point field goal with 11 seconds in the first overtime to send it to a second tied, 74-74.

Cal’s Tony Richardson sank a free throw with five seconds to go to tie it, 62-62, in regulation.

Rob Teckle had 26 points and eight rebounds for Cal. Luka Andjusic added 18, Cordell Smith 15 and Richardson 12.

Durrell McDonald scored 24 and DaJuann Dent 15 for Mercyhurst.