CALIFORNIA (Oct. 25) – Posting one of its best hitting performances of the season, the California University of Pennsylvania volleyball team earned a 3-0 victory (25-14, 25-17, 25-20) against IUP on Saturday afternoon at the Convocation Center in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action.

With the win, the Vulcans improve to 21-7 overall with a 13-4 mark in league action. Meanwhile, the Crimson Hawks lost their fourth-straight match to fall to 9-15 this season behind a 5-12 record in conference play.

Senior Laurel Miller (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) and junior Mary Lavery (La Plata, Md./La Plata) both finished with a match-high nine kills. Miller, who also collected four service aces, posted a .304 hitting percentage and Lavery hit at an impressive .381 clip in the victory. Freshman Ashley Leto (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) added eight kills on a .316 hitting percentage and junior Miranda Fouzie (Kingston, Ontario/Sydenham) finished with five kills on a .625 clip. Sophomore Kristen Scurpa (Sharpsville, Pa./Sharpsville) posted an assist/dig double-double for a consecutive day, totaling 25 assists and 13 digs.

Junior Samantha Rudy (Greencastle, Pa./Greencastle-Antrim) led all players with 14 digs and Miller collected 10 digs. Sophomore Danielle Hayes (Erie, Pa./McDowell) and Lavery both registered a match-best four blocks, while Fouzie added three blocks.

The teams traded the opening five points of the match before Cal U won five-straight points to take a 7-3 lead on a service ace by Miller. The Crimson Hawks later claimed four of six points to trim the deficit to 10-8 before the Vulcans went on a 9-2 rally, forcing IUP to call a timeout after a kill by Leto stretched the lead to 19-10. The teams traded the next three points before Cal U won four-straight points before finishing with a 25-14 victory on a kill by Leto.

The Vulcans posted a .375 hitting percentage in the second set, taking the only lead change of the set after the Crimson Hawks won the opening point. The teams traded points in the opening half of the set before Cal U won four of five points to take a 13-9 lead on a kill by Lavery. The Vulcans later claimed three-straight points to take a 17-10 lead after a block assist by sophomore Destiny Tucker (Ambridge, Pa./Ambridge) and Lavery. IUP countered by later winning five of seven points to trim the deficit to 21-17 before Cal U responded by claiming four-straight points to post a 25-17 win on a kill by Miller.

In the third set, IUP opened play on a 6-2 run before Cal U countered with a 9-2 rally to take an 11-8 lead on a block assist by Hayes and redshirt freshman Rachel Snyder (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley). The Crimson Hawks won back-to-back points before the Vulcans claimed five-straight points to take a 16-10 lead on a kill by Miller. IUP earned five of the next six points to trim the deficit to 17-15 before Cal U won four of five points to take a 21-16 lead on a block assist by Fouzie and Lavery. The Vulcans later won three-straight points to take a 24-17 lead on a kill by Miller before the Crimson Hawks staved off match point for three-straight points. Cal U closed the match victory with a 25-20 win in the third set on a kill by Lavery.

The Vulcans begin a three-match road trip on Tuesday, Oct. 28, when they travel to face Seton Hill in nearby Greensburg, Pennsylvania, at 7 p.m.