Cal women drop top-seeded Glenville State in OT
Notice: Undefined variable: article_ad_placement3 in /usr/web/cs-washington.ogdennews.com/wp-content/themes/News_Core_2023_WashCluster/single.php on line 128
GLENVILLE, W.Va. – Abbey Sporio and Seairra Barrett combined to sink five free throws throws in the final 1:06 of overtime to help fourth-seeded California University knock off top-seeded Glenville State, 87-77, in the semifinals of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region.
Cal, which raised its record to 25-5, moves on to the finals Monday (7 p.m.) against Indiana University of Pennsylvania, which defeated Virginia Union, 66-58, earlier in the day.
Sporio scored a game-high 25 points and was 9-for-12 from the free throw line. Sporio had eight rebounds, four assists and nine steals.
Barrett, who sat out the majority of the first half with foul trouble, scored 13 points and had nine rebounds.
Bianca Jasper had a strong game for the Vulcans with 20 points and nine rebounds and sank the only three-point basket in nine tries for the team.
Emily Stoller scored 17 points for Glenville State (30-2), which had a 38-game home winning streak come to an end. Glenville State, which had won 21 games in a row, was only 12-for-40 from three-point range.
Stoller hit a three-point shot with 31 seconds left in regulation to send the game into overtime tied at 72-72.
Barrett, who made four key free throws in the final 41 seconds, tossed a last-gasp shot up to win it in regulation for Cal but it missed the mark.
Cal built an eight-point lead through three quarters, but Glenville State outscored the Vulcans, 23-15, over the final 10 minutes.
The Vulcans built a 40-33 halftime lead, thanks to Sporio’s hot shooting. She scored 16 points, hitting 6 of 9 tries from the field and all four free throw attempts. She also had five steals.
Cal held the lead even though Barrett played just eight minutes because of foul problems.
Sporio scored 11 points in the first quarter to stake Cal to a 23-18 lead. She hit 4 of her 5 field goal attempts and all three free throw attempts.
The Vulcans reached the free throw line 13 times in the first 10 minutes, making nine. Not only did they shoot 47 percent (7 of 15) from the field but they also held a 12-2 rebounding edge.
Zakiyah Winfield kept Glenville State close by scoring seven points. She finished with 13 points.