ERIE, Pa. - Julie Kleber's (Suffern, N.Y./Suffern) game-tying three-point bomb with 11 seconds left in regulation helped the No. 4 Gannon women's basketball team rally from a seven-point deficit in the final three minutes of regulation en route to a 75-72 overtime victory against No. 19 California (Pa.) Wednesday night in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division opener at the Hammermill Center.

The two nationally-ranked teams battled toe-to-toe in front of a vocal crowd of 1,141 at the 'Mill. The end results pushed Gannon's regular-season win streak to 27 games dating back to last season and tied the school record for consecutive victories in a single season. The 1977-78 squad holds the record of 17 straight wins. The victory was also the Lady Knights' 34th consecutive when leading at halftime.

Nearly 10 months after California (Pa.) ended the most successful season in Gannon history with a 64-40 victory in the NCAA Division II Sweet Sixteen, the two teams produced 14 lead changes and six ties. Nearly every statistical category was a stalemate.

Gannon trailed 68-61 after a pair of free throws by Crystal Andrews when the rally started. Kristina Freeman (Yonkers, N.Y./Pelham Memorial) scored on a driving lay-up with 2:35 remaining. Tiffany Crocker (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Coffman) followed with a short baseline jumper.

California had a change to put the game away, but missed a jumper and two free throws on its next two possessions, setting up the dramatic finish. Crocker then found Kleber on the right wing. Kleber, who leads the PSAC in three-point field goal percentage (.519), drilled a three-pointer with 11 seconds left.

California (Pa.) had one last chance to win the game in regulation, but All-American Brooque Williams missed a jumper as the horn sounded.

A Carrie Nolan (Girard, Pa./Girard) free throw was the only scoring for the first 2:15 of the overtime session. Williams' lay-up gave the Vulcans their last lead of the evening at 70-69 with 2:44 left on the clock. Freeman gave the Lady Knights the lead for good with two free throws at the 2:22 mark and extended the lead to 73-70 with a jumper at the 1:32 mark.

Williams brought California within 73-72 with a jumper on Cal's next possession and got the ball back after a Gannon turnover. The Vulcans missed a lay-up, but was fouled on the offensive rebound with 23 seconds left. The squad missed both free throws, before grabbing another offensive rebound. However, Williams missed a jumper with three seconds left. Kleber then iced the 75-72 victory with a lay-up at the buzzer off a long inbound play.

Gannon scored the first seven points of the game and led the entire first half with the exception of an 18-17 Cal lead. The Lady Knights' largest lead came at 32-24 with 3:25 left in the first half, before the Vulcans cut the halftime deficit to 34-33 after a 9-2 run in the final 2:47.

California (Pa.) opened the second half with an 11-4 blitz and took a 44-38 lead. In all, the Vulcans out-scored the Lady Knights 20-6 during a time span that lasted 5:52 between the first and second halves. The game featured its fourth tie of regulation at 61, before California took a 68-61 lead with seven consecutive points.

Freeman led the Gannon attack with 19 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals. Nolan added 17 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals. Kleber and Shanna Thompson (Shaker Heights, Ohio/Shaker Heights) were superb off the bench, chipping in 11 points each.

Gannon shot 44.8 percent (26-58) from the field, 29.4 percent (5-17) from three-point range and 78.3 percent (18-23) from the free throw line.

Williams led all scorers with 24 points and 10 rebounds, but finished just 11-of-27 from the field. Crystal Andrews added 21 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals. All-American Kayla Smith netted 10 points and 11 rebounds.

California (Pa.) shot 43.7 percent (31-71) from the floor, 25 percent (4-16) from behind the arc and 46.2 percent (6-13) from the charity stripe.

Gannon improved to 17-0 overall and 1-0 in the PSAC Western Division. California (Pa.) dropped to 10-4 overall and 0-1 in conference play. The Lady Knights return to action Saturday, January 16 at Clarion. Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m.

For a complete box score from Wednesday's Gannon-California (Pa.) women's basketball game, please click here.