SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University women's basketball team lost a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division game to fifth-ranked California University (Pa.), 79-55, Wednesday night at Morrow Field House.
 
California scored the game's first six points, but Slippery Rock quickly rattled off seven unanswered points of its own thanks to a 3-pointer by Krista Pietropola and back-to-back baskets by C.C. Dixon and Mallory Heinle. However, the nationally ranked Vulcans proceeded to close out the first half by outscoring The Rock 36-17 to take a 42-24 lead into halftime.
 
Despite playing shorthanded due to Lexi Carpenter, the PSAC's leading scorer, being sidelined due to injury, SRU played nearly even with California over the entire second half, but could never quite threaten California's halftime lead as the Vulcans hung on for a 24-point victory. 
 
Slippery Rock (9-13, 6-10 PSAC West) was led by Dixon, who came just shy of a double-double with a team-high 11 points and eight rebounds. Dixon went 5-for-11 from the field overall and 1-for-1 from the foul line over 39 minutes. She has now scored at least 11 points in three of The Rock's last four games.
 
Brooke Hinderliter had seven points and a team-high 10 rebounds, six of which came on the offensive glass, while Heinle and LeeAnn Gibson chipped in nine points apiece. Cassidy Wright and Sierra Fordham rounded out The Rock's top scorers with eight and six points, respectively. Pietropola grabbed eight rebounds and made two steals in addition to scoring five points.
 
For the game, Slippery Rock shot 35.1 percent (20-of-57) from the field overall, 30.8 percent (4-of-13) from 3-point range and 84.6 percent (11-of-13) from the foul line.
 
Lana Doran scored a game-high 19 points to pace the Vulcans. Mikki Glenn had a near triple-double of 11 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for California (Pa.) as well.
 
California shot 40.3 percent (31-of-77) from the field, 26.3 percent (5-of-19) from long range and 85.7 percent (12-of-14) from the free throw line. The Vulcans held edges over The Rock in rebounds (45-39) and turnovers committed (9-21). California scored 22 points off of Slippery Rock's turnovers.
 
Slippery Rock continues PSAC West competition on the road at Indiana (Pa.) Saturday at 5:30 p.m.