Lauren Kingsley vs. Shepherd
Bryce Dolak

Women's Basketball Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Women's Basketball Game Preview: Golden Knights Begin New Year Hosting Western Division Rival California (Pa.)

CALIFORNIA (PA) VULCANS (6-6, 3-3 PSAC West) at No. 9/11 GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (13-2, 5-1 PSAC West)
DATE/TIME: Saturday, January 4, 2025 | 1:00 p.m.
HOMECOURT/LOCATION: Hagerty Family Events Center l Erie, Pa.
LIVE STATS
LIVE VIDEO

THE GANNON-CAL (PA) SERIES
Gannon leads 28-25
Gannon has won five of the last six meetings and eight of the last ten after sweeping the Vulcans in 2023-24.
Last Meeting:  Feb. 3, 2024 – at Gannon 69, California (Pa.) 57 I RECAP
Sam Pirosko scored 23 points and pulled down eight rebounds and Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster) added 22 points as Gannon won at the Hagerty Family Events Center. Allycia Harris led Cal with 17 points and nine rebounds.
 
MILITARY APPRECIATION/WHITEOUT DAY
As part of Gannon's continuing Theme Days in 2024-25 Saturday is Military Appreciation/Whiteout Day. All current and former members of all branches of the service will receive free admission to the doubleheader vs. California (Pa.).  


ERIE, Pa. – Gannon begins the New Year after last playing on December 21 and suffering a last-second loss at Lock Haven in a rematch of last year's PSAC Championship game. The Golden Knights host California (Pa.) in what is annually a showdown for bragging rights in the Western Division.
 
As teams begin divisional play on Saturday, January 4 the PSAC West is once again very strong at the top. Gannon comes in at 13-2 overall and 5-1 in PSAC play. The Golden Knights were chosen the Western Division preseason favorites and host a Cal team that was picked to finish second. The Vulcans are off to a 6-6 start and are 3-3 in league play. Tipoff at the Hagerty Family Events Center is 1:00 p.m.
 
Gannon won both regular season meetings a year ago, holding on for a 62-61 win at Cal before handing the Vulcans a 69-57 defeat at the Hagerty Family Events Center.
 
Head coach Cleve Wright has been forced to piece together a lineup with injuries at one point sapping Gannon of three starters. Post player Andrea Maibach (Creston, Ohio/Norwayne) has now missed the last six games. Versatile guard Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) has missed four complete games after suffering an injury at Charleston (WV). Maddy Wheatley (Canberra, Australia/UCSSC Lake Ginninderra), a converted guard now playing the post, was able to return after missing just one game but was also limited to 15 minutes at Shippensburg.
 
The Golden Knights were without promising sophomore point guard Olivia Cernuto (Scottdale, Pa./Southmoreland) against Shepherd and Lock Haven. Three-point sharpshooter Carissa Dunham (Fairview, Pa./Villa Maria) was shaken up early in the Shepherd game and saw little action.

The Cal game marks the final contest for the Golden Knights on Cathedral Prep's homecourt. They will play at Indiana (Pa.) and Edinboro before returning home to host Slippery Rock on Wednesday, January 15. That game will be played at the newly-renovated Highmark Events Center, the first since December 19, 2023.

The Knight Watch:
Record:  13-2, 5-1 PSAC West
Head Coach: Cleve Wright (17th year at Gannon, 21st overall)
  • Gannon opened the season with nine straight wins, climbing as high as second in the national rankings, before losing at Ohio Dominican. The Golden Knights then ran off four straight wins before ending 2024 with a 69-67 loss at Lock Haven. The Bald Eagles hit two free throws with 0.7 seconds remaining to drop Gannon to 13-2 overall and 5-1 in PSAC action.
  • The Lock Haven loss dropped Gannon to ninth in the latest WBCA Top 25 released earlier this week. The Golden Knights are 11th in the D2CCA poll.
  • While battling a host of injuries one thing has remained constant – strong defensive play. Gannon is allowing just 54.9 ppg., ranking second in the PSAC and 28th in Division II. Prior to allowing 69 points to Lock Haven the Golden Knights had allowed 44, 52, and 44 points in the previous three games. They have allowed less than 60 points in seven games this year. Gannon is third in the PSAC and 22nd nationally in field goal percentage defense (34.5 pct.).
  • Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster) leads the Golden Knights in scoring at 17.2 ppg., good for sixth in the PSAC. After scoring 20-or-more points in three of the previous four games the junior guard scored 13 points vs. Shepherd. In the process she became the 32nd Golden Knight to top 1,000 career points. After leading Gannon with 17 points at Lock Haven she now has 1,022 career points. Claxon is shooting 50.5 percent from the floor and has made 30-of-65 3-pointers. She was a first team All-PSAC West selection last year and was the 2022 PSAC West Freshman of the Year.
Scouting California (Pa.)
Record:  6-6, 3-3 PSAC West
Head Coach: Jess Strom (14th year)
Top Players: Alicia Young (G/F, 5-10, Jr., 16.3 ppg., 5.2 rpg., 17 stls., 10 blks.); Allycia Harris (F, 5-9, Sr., 10.3 ppg., 8.1 rpg., 9 blks.); Talia Gilliard (G, 5-9, Sr., 8.5 ppg., 3.2 rpg., 30 stls., 15-of-71 3's), Sierra Bermudez (G, 5-9, Sr., 7.5 ppg., 2.0 rpg., 19-of-55 3's)
  • California (Pa.) was picked to finish second in the PSAC West in the preseason poll but is off to a 6-6 start and comes in at 3-3 in the Western Division. The Vulcans finished 2024 with a 54-49 loss at Kutztown on Dec. 21. That snapped a two-game winning streak.
  • Head coach Jess Strom is the all-time winningest coach at Cal with a 287-93 record in 14 seasons as head coach. She has guided the Vulcans to 10 NCAA Tournament appearances. They have had nine straight seasons with 20-or-more wins. A year ago the Vulcans were 23-9, losing to Lock Haven in the Atlantic Regional quarterfinals.
  • Cal is holding opponents to 64.0 ppg. but ranks 12th in the PSAC in scoring at 65.0 ppg. They rank last in field goal percentage at 36.1 percent.
  • Alicia Young, a 5-foot-10 junior, is the team's leading scorer at 16.3 ppg., good for seventh in the PSAC. Allycia Harris adds 10.3 ppg. and 8.1 rpg. She was a second team All-PSAC West honoree a year ago.
  • Seniors Sierra Bermudez and Iyahnna Williams have both scored over 1,000 points in their collegiate careers after previously starting at Clarion and Alderson Broaddus, respectively.
Next for the Golden Knights: Gannon plays back-to-back games on the road, beginning with a Wednesday, January 8 game at Indiana (Pa.). The Crimson Hawks are off to a 10-1 start prior to a January 3 game against Daemen.
 
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Olivia Cernuto

#5 Olivia Cernuto

G
5' 7"
Sophomore
Bri Claxon

#12 Bri Claxon

G
5' 7"
Junior
Carissa Dunham

#13 Carissa Dunham

G
5' 7"
Junior
Andrea Maibach

#34 Andrea Maibach

P
6' 2"
Redshirt Sophomore
Kate Ratliff

#23 Kate Ratliff

G
6' 0"
Sophomore
Maddy Wheatley

#4 Maddy Wheatley

G
5' 11"
Redshirt Junior
Freshwater/Marine Biology and Environmental Science

Players Mentioned

Olivia Cernuto

#5 Olivia Cernuto

5' 7"
Sophomore
G
Bri Claxon

#12 Bri Claxon

5' 7"
Junior
G
Carissa Dunham

#13 Carissa Dunham

5' 7"
Junior
G
Andrea Maibach

#34 Andrea Maibach

6' 2"
Redshirt Sophomore
P
Kate Ratliff

#23 Kate Ratliff

6' 0"
Sophomore
G
Maddy Wheatley

#4 Maddy Wheatley

5' 11"
Redshirt Junior
Freshwater/Marine Biology and Environmental Science
G