SLIPPERY ROCK — When California (Pa.) University needed to make free throws in the end, it succeeded.

When Slippery Rock University needed to make plays at the end, it failed.

The result was a 70-67 women's college basketball victory for the Vulcans (18-7, 7-4) Wednesday night at Morrow Field House, keeping alive their hopes of a second-place finish in the PSACWest.

SRU's loss eliminated The Rock (9-16, 3-8) from playoff consideration.

"This game is the story of our season,"SRUcoach Laurel Heilman said. "We're right there — yet, we're not."

The Rock led by as many as 13 points in the first half and didn't trail at all until Bre Dillon sank a trey with 6:30 left in the game to give California a 56-54 lead.

Another Dillon trey upped the Vulcans' advantage to five, but a 9-0 SRUrun gave The Rock a 63-59 edge with 4:06 left. Jessica Schake keyed the run by converting a layup off a turnover, then completing a three-point play.

Still, California found a way to win, defeating Slippery Rock for the 11th consecutive time.

"Ithought this was our time to get them tonight,"Heilman said. "We did everything right. We got good shots. We sank 26 of 30 free throws — who would have thought we'd get 30 free throws against this team?

"We played aggressively. That was my main message to the team before the game. Be aggressive. And we were."

Two free throws by Butler graduate Kim Nowakowski, who had 17 points and 11 rebounds, gave the visitors a 65-64 edge with 2:16 to play.

The Rock answered again, Nijha McNeely sinking one free throw and Chere' Marshall adding a pair for a 67-65 advantage with 1:42 left.

But two free throws by Lindsay Johnson with 17.5 seconds remaining gave California the lead for good.

Marshall then drove to the basket but Nowakowski forced her to alter her shot and grabbed the rebound.

Dillon sank two free throws with 6.6 seconds to play before Amanda Nero got off an open 3-point shot from the top of the key at the buzzer. The ball bounced off the front of the rim, off the glass and harmlessly to the floor.

"We're not playing very good basketball right now, particularly on the road,"California coach Darcie Vincent said. "Even at the end there, we should have rotated over and covered her (Nero), but we didn't.

"Slippery Rock played hard. They played very well. And we never win by very many when we come up here."

Sophomore guard Dillon struck for a career-high 27 points and a career-high seven treys.

"Bre was a stud tonight,"Nowakowski said. "There's no way we win this game without her shooting."

Nowakowski recorded her third consecutive double-double and 13th this season. She has 29 double-doubles in her 83 games with California.

Playing with a bone bruise on her knee, Nowakowski said her health is improving.

"I felt a lot better tonight,"she said. "It still hurts a little bit. I always have trouble scoring down low against Slippery Rock. They defend the post really well."

Schake and Marshall paced SRUwith 13 points each.

Wednesday marked the final home game for Rock senior forward Amanda Chojnacki, who scored 578 points and grabbed 389 rebounds in her collegiate career.

"She came in with six other freshmen and she's the sole survivor,"Heilman said. "Playing four years of college basketball at this level is a tremendous commitment."

CALIFORNIA (Pa.) (70)Brooque Williams 4-5 2-4 10, Dani Mills 0-2 1-2 1, Bre Dillon 9-19 2-2 27, April Smith 0-2 4-8 4, Kim Nowakowski 6-12 5-6 17, Lindsay Johnson 2-7 3-4 8, Keris Timol 0-5 0-0 0, Amanda Evans 0-0 0-0 0, Jaleesa Coleman 1-2 1-2 3.

Totals: 22-54 18-28 70

SLIPPERY ROCK (67)Amanda Nero 3-8 4-5 12, Nikki Presto 1-7 2-2 5, Amanda Chojnacki 2-5 1-2 5, Jessica Schake 6-8 1-1 13, Chere' Marshall 2-10 9-10 13, Kara Spagnola 0-0 0-0 0, Alissa Schake 0-0 0-0 0, Dana Stewart 1-4 2-2 4, Amanda Kaufman 1-2 4-4 6, KellyAnn Staudinger 0-1 0-0 0, Nijha McNeely 3-6 3-4 9.

Totals: 19-51 26-30 67

Halftime score: SRU36, California 29; 3-point shooting:Cal 8-19 (Dillon 7-122, Nowakowski 0-2, Johnson 1-5), SRU3-12 (Nero 2-5, Presto 1-5, Chojnacki 0-1, Marshall 0-1);

Rebounds:Cal 41 (Nowakowski 11), SRU32 (McNeely 6);

Assists:Cal 14 (Dillon, Tomol 3), SRU12 (Presto 4);

Turnovers: Cal 17, SRU13

Sunday: SRU at Clarion