Virginia State Holds Off California (PA) in Thrilling Match-up

Greensburg, PA – Virginia State University (VSU-W) defeated California University of Pennsylvania (CAL-W) in a hard-fought contest, emerging victorious by a final score of 65-53. The game was filled with dramatic momentum swings, key individual performances, and crucial defensive plays that ultimately secured the win for Virginia State.

Virginia State started strong, with Anii Harris contributing the first points of the game with a quick jumper, giving her team an early 2-0 lead. Mihjae Hayes extended that advantage with a pair of free throws, pushing the score to 4-0. California (PA), despite struggling to find their rhythm early on, stayed within striking distance with solid defense and a couple of key baskets. Alicia Young hit a jumper to make it 4-2, keeping her team in the game.

As the first half progressed, Virginia State's Harris continued to shine, adding another jumper to give her team a 10-6 lead. However, California (PA) responded with a free throw from Harris and a 3-pointer from Young to cut the deficit to 12-10. Turnovers plagued both teams, but Virginia State's defense remained a constant presence, with Carmen Kweti grabbing key rebounds and limiting California (PA)'s second-chance opportunities.

Late in the first half, California (PA) began to gain momentum. A jumper from Shaw put them ahead 20-18, and a pair of free throws from Sierra Bermudez stretched the lead to 22-18. Virginia State fought back with a free throw from Hayes to make it 22-19, but they couldn't catch up before the halftime buzzer. The first half ended with California (PA) holding a slim 22-19 advantage.

The second half began with Virginia State coming out of the gate strong.  California (PA) briefly extended its lead with a layup from Huffman, but Virginia State responded quickly with a layup from Miller, cutting the deficit to 36-35.
The game became even tighter as both teams continued to trade baskets. At 3:14, Tiyanna James hit a huge 3-pointer to give Virginia State a 55-51 lead, their first advantage since the early minutes of the second half. The game continued to swing back and forth, with California (PA) trying to find an answer, but Virginia State's defense and fast-break opportunities proved to be the difference in the final minutes.

With just over two minutes left, Anii Harris hit a crucial 3-pointer to extend Virginia State's lead to 58-51. Harris wasn't done yet, adding another jumper at 1:37 to make it 60-51. In the final moments, Virginia State continued to pressure California (PA), with Hayes hitting a three-pointer at 00:08 to seal the victory. Despite a last-ditch effort by Trinity Balog, who scored a layup for California (PA) at the buzzer, it wasn't enough to close the gap. The final score was 65-53 in favor of Virginia State.