Pitt-Johnstown put together a quality first half that unfortunately didn't transfer over to the final 20 minutes in a 70-52 loss to California (Pa.) on Saturday afternoon at the Sports Center.

The Mountain Cats dropped to 2-16 (0-11 PSAC). Sophomore Belle Bosch continued her stellar season with team-highs of 18 points and eight rebounds. She scored the first and last points of the opening quarter for the Mountain Cats, who trailed 19-14 by the end of it.

Freshman M'laya Ainsworth provided 11 points and four rebounds. Lexi Margolis added nine points, largely via a 5-for-6 performance at the free-throw line.

After being down seven to start the second quarter, the Mountain Cats went on a 7-0 flurry with the help of five points from Ainsworth to knot the game at 21-all.

Over the final seven minutes of the half, they punched back each time the Vulcans tried to pull away. Down by six, Bosch connected on a jumper that cut the deficit to 32-28 with less than two minutes to go before the break.

Ainsworth notched two layups in the final 1:22 of the half, with the last one sending the Mountain Cats into the locker room down just 35-33 after collectively shooting 53% (8-for-15) from the field in the quarter.

However, the Vulcans took control with a 14-2 run in the opening six-plus minutes of the third quarter. The Mountain Cats managed just one made free throw apiece from Lydia Miller and Bosch in that game-altering sequence.

Camille Dominick's layup with 24 seconds left served as the lone field goal in the third as the Mountain Cats found themselves down 53-41 heading into the final frame. Margolis trimmed it to 54-46 with a free throw less than two minutes into the fourth, but Pitt-Johnstown did not scratch any closer from that point on.

Talia Gilliard poured in a game-high 23 points for the Vulcans, who improved to 9-8 (6-5 PSAC).

Pitt-Johnstown will visit defending PSAC Champion Gannon on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in the first game of a doubleheader with the men's team.