WHEELING, W.Va. (Nov. 21) – Led by a balanced offensive attack, the third-seeded Vulcans advanced to the Atlantic Regional Championship for the ninth-straight year with a 3-0 win (25-23, 25-19, 25-23) over second-seeded Clarion on Friday evening at the Alma Grace McDonough Center.

With the victory, the California University of Pennsylvania volleyball team improves to 30-8 overall and reaches the 30-win plateau for the ninth time in the last 10 years. The Vulcans will now face top-seeded and host Wheeling Jesuit tomorrow, Saturday, Nov. 22, at 7 p.m. The Cardinals advanced on Friday by earning a 3-0 victory (25-19, 25-21, 25-22) over Seton Hill. Meanwhile, Clarion finishes the season with a 30-5 mark after suffering three losses against Cal U.

Senior Laurel Miller (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) paced the team with 10 kills and was one of five players to finish with seven kills. Junior Mary Lavery (La Plata, Md./La Plata) finished with nine kills, while the trio of junior Miranda Fouzie (Kingston, Ontario/Sydenham), sophomore Danielle Hayes (Erie, Pa./McDowell) and freshman Ashley Leto (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) each added seven kills. Sophomore Megan Litoborski (Lemont, Ill./Lemont) directed the offense with 37 assists against the Golden Eagles.

Leto led the team and nearly matched her season high with 21 digs, while senior libero Samantha Rudy (Greencastle, Pa./Greencastle-Antrim) posted 15 digs. Miller and fellow senior Taylor Melidona (Rochester, N.Y./Irondequoit) both collected 10 digs, as Miller registered her 20th kill/dig double-double of the season. Fouzie, who registered a .316 hitting percentage, controlled the net with five blocks in the victory.

Cal U opened play with a 6-2 lead after a three-way block assist by Fouzie, Lavery and Miller before each team traded runs of three-straight points. The Golden Eagles later mounted an 8-1 rally to take a 15-12 lead before the Vulcans answered with an 8-4 run to reclaim the lead at 20-19 on a service ace by Miller. Following a timeout, Clarion won three of four points to take a 22-21 lead before Cal U countered with a 4-1 run to earn a 25-23 win on an attacking error.

In the second set, the Vulcans jumped out to a 10-4 lead with a service ace by Miller before the Golden Eagles won three of four points to trim the deficit to 11-7. The teams traded the next nine points before Clarion later earned three-straight points to cut the lead to 17-14. Each team then posted three-straight points and the Vulcans called a timeout while leading 20-17. Cal U then won four of the next five points to force set point at 24-18 on a kill by Hayes. The Vulcans later posted a 25-19 victory on a solo block by Miller.

The teams combined for seven lead changes and 12 ties in the third set. Cal U took an early 5-2 lead on a kill by Miller before Clarion won three-straight points to tie the score at 5-5. The Golden Eagles later earned four of five points to take a 9-7 lead before the Vulcans called a timeout. Cal U responded by winning three-straight points before Clarion countered with three-unanswered points to reclaim the lead at 12-10. The Vulcans rallied to win seven of the next 10 points to take a 17-15 lead on an attacking error. After the teams traded the next four points, Clarion earned four-straight points to reclaim the lead at 21-10 before Cal U took a timeout. The Vulcans responded with three-unanswered points to take a 23-21 lead on back-to-back attacking errors. After a timeout by Clarion, the teams traded the next four points with Cal U earning a 25-23 win on a kill by Miller.

Cal U will face Wheeling Jesuit tomorrow, Saturday, Nov. 22, in the regional championship of the NCAA Tournament for the fourth-consecutive year. The Vulcans have won seven of the last 12 meetings against the Cardinals; however, Wheeling Jesuit has won five of the last six matches, including the last three Atlantic Regional championships. Cal U has advanced to the regional final of the NCAA Tournament in each of the last nine years and holds a 28-13 all-time record in the tournament.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Thursday, Nov. 20
Match 1 - (3) California (Pa.) d. (6) Mercyhurst, 3-1 (19-25, 25-14, 25-14, 25-20)
Match 2 - (2) Clarion d. (7) Edinboro, 3-0 (25-16, 25-10, 25-22)
Match 3 - (4) Seton Hill d. (3) Gannon, 3-1 (25-20, 23-25, 25-13, 27-25)
Match 4 - (1) Wheeling Jesuit d. (8) Chowan, 3-0 (25-11, 25-17, 25-10)

Friday, Nov. 21
Match 5 - (3) California (Pa.) d. (2) Clarion, 3-0 (25-23, 25-19, 25-23)
Match 6 - (1) Wheeling Jesuit d. (4) Seton Hill, 3-0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-22)

Saturday, Nov. 22
Match 7 – (3) California (Pa.) vs. (1) Wheeling Jesuit, 7 p.m.