Gabrielle Smith scored 20 points and Olivia McCabe recorded her 12^th double-double of the year to help Pitt-Johnstown cut an 18-point deficit to two with six seconds remaining, but the Cats were not able to get a shot off on their final possession and suffered 56-54 Senior Day loss to 20-ranked California University (PA), Saturday afternoon in the Sports Center.  Pitt-Johnstown slipped to 9-15 overall and 6-13 in the PSAC.
 
Prior to the game, Pitt-Johnstown recognized McCabe, this year's lone senior.
 
It was all Vulcans in the early going.  After an Alexis Hartwick 3-pointer gave Pitt-Johnstown a slim one-point lead, California (PA) went on to outscore the Cats, 18-4, over the final seven minutes of the opening quarter.  D.J. Hahn's jumper gave the lead right back to the Vulcans, and Jiahana Flood-Francis' layup moved it into double figures at 17-7 a 2:48.  California (PA) then got baskets from Shatara Parsons and Hahn to close out the quarter, leading 22-9.
 
Pitt-Johnstown came back in the second quarter with a 9-0 run to narrow it to 22-19 on back-to-back 3-point plays from Tori Moreland and Smith.  The Vulcans regained control and rebuilt the lead to 34-21 at the half with eight consecutive points from Parsons.
 
California (PA) held the momentum and built the lead to as many as 18 at 43-25 midway through the third quarter, before the Cats began their comeback.  Smith's bucket at the 1:56 mark cut it to a dozen, Maddie Shanahan's short jumper made it 45-35 entering the final quarter.
 
Pitt-Johnstown continued to narrow the gap and got it down to one two occasions on another basket in the paint from Smith at 1:03, and McCabe's lay-up with six seconds to play.  Following a quick foul, Bianca Johnson made one of two from the line for the Vulcans to make it 56-54.  Pitt-Johnstown had one chance left, but was unable to get off a shot and suffered the tough two-point loss.
 
Smith finished with 20 points on 8-15 shooting and 4-4 from the free-throw line, and McCabe added 14 points and 15 rebounds to lead Pitt-Johnstown.  Hartwick and Moreland each had six points and four rebounds, and Shanahan scored four points and grabbed five rebounds.
 
McCabe currently stands in 27^th place on the Pitt-Johnstown All-Time Scoring List with 1,139 points and seventh on the All-Time Rebounding List with 799 rebounds.
 
Pitt-Johnstown, which out-rebounded the Vulcans 44-35, shot 37.7% (20-53) from the field, 2-10 from 3-point range, and 12-13 from the free-throw line.  California (PA) turned 23 Pitt-Johnstown turnovers into 27 points, but shot just 32.8% (21-64) from the floor and just 2-14 from behind the 3-point arc.  The Vulcans were also 12-19 from the charity stripe.
 
Parsons' game-high 22 points and nine rebounds, and Flood-Francis' 14 points paced California (PA), which improved to 20-4 overall and 15-3 in the PSAC Western Division.
 
Pitt-Johnstown will host a conference doubleheader with the men's team against Seton Hill on Wednesday, before closing out the regular season with conference road games at Slippery Rock next Saturday and at Mercyhurst on February 21.