Box Score Millersville, Pa. - The Millersville women's basketball team committed a plethora of mistakes and lost 63-53 to California (Pa.) in its final game of the 2013 calendar year Saturday afternoon.
The Marauders (5-5) made a season-low four 3-pointers and turned the ball over 24 times in the 10 point loss to the Vulcans. Millersville was 17-for-49 from the field and hit only 30 percent of their shots from behind the arc.
Yasmin Cooper led Millersville in scoring and rebounding with 13 points and eight boards.
Carly Gallagher and
Celeste Robinson each scored in double figure points with 11 and 10 respectively.
California (Pa.) (5-5) turned Millersville's 24 turnovers into 29 points and dominated the boards 43-33, including 15 second chance points on 18 offensive rebounds. Chelsea McKnight scored a game-high and career-high 17 points, while forward Ashley Hines secured a season -high 15 rebounds. Kaitlynn Fratz and Miki Glenn combined for 23 points and six boards for the Vulcans.
Millersville got off to a slow start with four turnovers and zero points in the first four minutes of play. Trailing the visiting Vulcans 7-0 at the 16 minute mark in the first half the Marauders went on a 14-10 run to pull within three points with under eight minutes remaining in the first period.
That was the closest the Millersville would get as the Vulcans continued to control the boards and finished the half on a 19-9 run behind a combined 11 points from McKnight and Fratz. The visitors had 23 rebounds in the first session and saw eight different players score and led the Black and Gold by 13 at the break.
Trailing 36-23 at the beginning of the second half, Cooper knocked in a close shot and
Shelby Reimer drilled a three to cut the California (Pa.) lead down to eight. But Glenn scored five of the Vulcans' next eight points to increase the lead back to 13 points with under 16 minutes remaining in the game.
California kept the Marauders at arms length the rest of the way and limited the Black and Gold to just 30 percent shooting in the final 15 minutes.
After totaling 52 points, 18 rebounds, and seven assists in her last three games against the Vulcans, Gallagher managed to shoot only 3-for-11 from the field today and committed four turnovers and had four fouls.
The Marauders have now lost three games at Pucillo Gymnasium this season after losing only three games at home during the entire 2012-13 season.
Coach
Mary Fleig and the Marauders now have 13 days off to prepare for their next game. Millersville welcomes Slippery Rock and Edinboro to Pucillo for a back-to-back doubleheader on Jan. 3 and 4. The Black and Gold will take on The Rock on Jan. 3 at 1 p.m.