SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock women's basketball team earned a 74-61 win over Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division foe California (Pa.) Saturday afternoon at Morrow Field House.

SRU's win is its first over Cal since Feb. 2, 2019, when it downed the then ranked No. 10 Vulcans, 72-61. 
 
With the win, Slippery Rock broke a seven-game skid and is now 6-11 overall and 4-7 in the PSAC, while California's record dropped to 9-12 overall and 5-6 in PSAC competition. 
 
Sophia Hook led Slippery Rock in scoring with 20 points, her third 20-point game this season. This was the fifth time Hook has led The Rock in scoring this campaign. The junior guard also grabbed five rebounds, collected one assist and one steal. 
 
Mairan Haggerty was a force off the bench with a career-high 17 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the floor, while converting on all six of her attempts from the charity stripe. The junior also grabbed a season-high eight rebounds, dished out one assist and grabbed one steal. 
 
Alyssa Gillin tied a career-high with four made 3-pointers on her way to 15 points, nine rebounds, one assist and four blocks. Gillin's nine rebounds were a season high. This was Gillin's fourth-straight multi-block performance as well as her third game with four or most blocks this season. 
 
Iyanna Wade put in a 14-point, seven-assist, one-rebound and four-steal performance. Wade's four steals tied a career-high for the freshman. This was Wade's third game in a row with at least five assists, and it was her 11th such game this season.  
 
Kayley Joseph-Bernard and Karianna Woods rounded out SRU's scorers with four points apiece. The two seniors also combined for six rebounds, five assists and two steals.  
 
Slippery Rock and California traded baskets in the opening minutes, until SRU opened a 7-4 lead via a Gillin 3-pointer. The Rock kept their lead until the Vulcans tied the game, 11-11, at the 2:46 mark of the first quarter. SRU then went on a 7-4 run to end the first frame with an 18-15 advantage.  
 
The Rock's defense stood out to begin the second quarter, as they held the Vulcans to three points in the first 5:29 of the frame. California responded with an 8-0 flurry to cut SRU's lead to one, 27-26. Hook stopped the Vulcans run with a crucial bucket at the 2:17 mark of the second quarter, giving Slippery Rock a 29-26 advantage heading into halftime. 26 points was the lowest scoring first half for SRU defensively since Dec. 20, 2025 against Shippensburg University, 
 
SRU extended its lead with a 9-6 run to start the third quarter before Cal responded with an 8-1 stretch to take a 40-39 advantage, its first lead since, 8-7, at the 4:16 mark of the first quarter. The Rock then replied with an 11-7 run over the final 4:26 of the third quarter, giving SRU a 50-47 advantage going into the final frame. 
 
The Rock scored 13 of the next 17 points to start the fourth quarter, giving them a 63-51 lead with 5:38 remaining in regulation. Wade and Haggerty sparked this stretch with four points each, while Hook and Gillin capped off the run with a 3-pointer apiece. 
 
The Vulcans cut Slippery Rock's lead to eight points, 65-59, with 3:18 left in the game, but that was as close as Cal would get, as another 3-pointer from Gillin and four made free throws sealed SRU's 74-61 victory.  
 
Slippery Rock ended the game shooting 46.9 percent (23-of-49) from the field overall, 47.4  percent (9-for-19) from the 3-point line and 73.1 percent (19-of-26) from the charity stripe. Slippery Rock set a season-high in free throw attempts and makes. The Rock's nine made 3-pointers were the second-most made shots from beyond the arc this season. SRU hit 10 3-pointers in a 76-72 win over Shepherd University. The Rock's 16 assists were the most in their last six matchup. 
 
SRU narrowly outrebounded Cal, 33-32, while also doubling the Vulcans in second chance points (14-7). California scored 12 more points than The Rock inside (34-22) 
 
Defensively, SRU limited California to 41.1 percent (23-of-56) from the floor overall, 22.2 percent (2-for-9) from beyond the arc and 68.4 percent (13-of-19) from the foul line. 
 
Hope Hawkins matched Hook's game-high 20 points to go along with six rebounds. Kennedy Bankett (12) and Trinity Balog (10) joined Hawkins as double-digits scorers for the Vulcans. 
 
Slippery Rock will hit the road for a contest 5:30 p.m. Jan. 28 at Edinboro before returning to Morrow Field House for a three-game homestand. 


 
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