• Box Score

WHEELING, W.Va. (Nov. 29) – Senior outside hitter Brandy Harris (Bedford, Pa./Bedford) and junior setter Abbey Freund (Cottage Grove, Wis./Monona Grove) both recorded double-doubles on Thursday afternoon, as the Vulcans earned a 3-1 win (26-24, 25-27, 25-18, 25-18) over Shippensburg in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

With the victory, the California University of Pennsylvania volleyball team improves to 29-7 overall. The Vulcans will now face Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Champion Gannon tomorrow evening, Friday, Nov. 30, at 5 p.m. The Golden Knights advanced on Thursday by earning a 3-1 win (25-13, 20-25, 26-14, 25-23) over rival Mercyhurst.

Harris finished with her 11th kill/dig double-double of the season, totaling 20 kills and 13 digs on Thursday. She posted seven kills while hitting at a .538 clip in the opening set before finishing the match with a .309 hitting percentage, her highest since the regular season.

Freund directed the offense with 36 assists and collected 18 digs for her 12th double-double of the year. She also collected three service aces in the victory while posting her most assists since early September.

Seniors Meghan Franz (Cranberry Twp., Pa./Seneca Valley) and Ana Almeida (Belo Horizonte, Brazil/Colegio Promove) added 11 and nine kills, respectively, against the Raiders. Junior libero Molly Delaney (Carmel, Ind./Westfield) paced the defense with 25 digs, while also registering four service aces. Almeida finished with 12 digs in the victory.

The Vulcans won a heavily contested first set 26-24 behind seven kills and a .538 attack percentage by Harris. With the scored tied 6-6, Cal U mounted a 7-2 run to take a 13-8 lead following a service ace from Freund, which forced Shippensburg into a timeout. The Vulcans earned the first point after the timeout before the Raiders countered with a 7-2 rally to trim the deficit to 16-15. Cal U then won four of the next five points, 20-16, before Shippensburg posted a 6-2 rally to tie the set at 22-22. The Vulcans had a chance to clinch the set twice before the Raiders tied the score at 24-24. Harris then earned two-straight points with kills, as Cal U won the set 26-24.

In the second set, Shippensburg won four of the final five points to earn a 27-25 victory. With the score tied 8-8, the Raiders won five-straight points to take a 13-8 lead before the Vulcans mounted an 8-4 rally to claim an 18-17 lead following a kill by Freund. The two teams traded points before Shippensburg took a 24-22 lead. Cal U then scored three-straight points, including a service ace by Freund, before Shippensburg countered with a 4-1 run seal the victory 27-25.

After trading points for the opening half of the third set, the Vulcans took the match lead with a 25-18 victory. The set was tied 13-13 before Cal U won five of the next seven points, marking the first time in the set that either team lead by more than two points. Following a timeout by the Raiders, the Vulcans closed the set on a 7-3 run to take the 2-1 match lead.

Behind a pair of sizeable runs in the fourth set, Cal U clinched the match victory with a 25-18 win. Trailing 5-4 early, the Vulcans seized control of the set with a 6-2 run capped by a kill by Franz to take a 10-7 lead. Following a point by Shippensburg, Cal U mounted 7-2 rally to stretch the lead to 17-10 on a service ace by Freund. The teams traded points before Franz sealed the 25-18 victory with a kill.

With the loss, the Raiders finish the season at 27-12 after making their second all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Thursday, Nov. 29
Match 1 - (3) California (Pa.) d. (6) Shippensburg, 3-1 (26-24, 25-27, 25-18, 25-18)
Match 2 - (2) Gannon d. (7) Mercyhurst, 3-1 (25-13, 20-25, 26-14, 25-23)
Match 3 - (4) Clarion d. (5) Lock Haven, 3-0 (25-23, 25-19, 25-23)
Match 4 - (1) Wheeling Jesuit d. (8) Fayetteville State, 3-0 (25-10, 25-15, 25-10)

Friday, Nov. 30
Match 5 - (3) California (Pa.) vs. (2) Gannon, 5 p.m.
Match 6 - (4) Clarion vs. (1) Wheeling Jesuit, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 1
Match 7 - Winner of Match 5 vs. Winner of Match 6, 7 p.m.