• Box Score

CALIFORNIA (Nov. 22) – The No. 17 Vulcans advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight for the second-straight season and third time in school history following their 3-0 victory (25-19, 25-14, 25-20) against Wheeling Jesuit University to win the NCAA Atlantic Regional Championship on Saturday.

The California University of Pennsylvania volleyball team improves to 40-1 overall this season, becoming the first Division II program to reach the 40-win plateau this year. The Vulcans have won 24-straight games en route to their second-straight conference and regional championships. Meanwhile, the second-seeded Cardinals finished the season with a 30-10 overall mark.

Junior middle hitter Ludmilla Amaral (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Afonso Schimidt) led a trio of Cal U players to reach double-digit kills against Wheeling Jesuit, collecting 12 kills with five digs and five blocks. Junior outside hitter Joanna Nist (Rockwood, Pa./Rockwood) finished with 11 kills and nine digs, while senior middle hitter Thais Franca (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Padre Manoel De Paiva) added 10 kills and three blocks.

Junior libero Marta Hodge (Fayetteville, Pa./Chambersburg) paced the Vulcans with a match-high 18 digs and senior defensive specialist Mallory DeMarco (Cranberry Twp., Pa./Seneca Valley) finished with 10 digs.

Junior setter Renata Silva (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Colegio Ateneu) directed the Cal U offense with 36 assists, six digs and three kills.

Following the match, Amaral, Hodge, Nist and Silva were each named to the all-regional tournament team.

The Vulcans will face No. 2 California State University San Bernardino in the NCAA Quarterfinals on Thursday, Dec. 4. The location for the match will be announced later this weekend.