• Box Score

WHEELING, W.Va. (Sept. 16) – In a rematch of the last three NCAA regional finals, the Vulcans suffered a 3-0 loss (25-15, 25-16, 25-11) at rival and No. 9 Wheeling Jesuit on Thursday night.

With the loss, the California University of Pennsylvania volleyball team falls to 6-3 overall. Meanwhile, Wheeling Jesuit improves to 8-1 this season with its only loss coming against seven-time, defending-national champion Concordia-St. Paul. The Vulcans and Cardinals have met 13 times over the last eight years with Wheeling Jesuit winning five of the last six matches.

Senior Laurel Miller (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) led the team with seven kills on 34 attempts in the loss. Redshirt freshman Rachel Snyder (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) added six kills, while the trio of junior Miranda Fouzie (Kingston, Ontario/Sydenham) and sophomores Danielle Hayes (Erie, Pa./McDowell) and Abby Matusik (Mars, Pa./Mars) each tallied five kills.

Freshman Taylor Solo (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford) directed the offense with 21 assists in the loss. Snyder led the team with 13 digs, while Matusik and Miller finished with nine and eight digs, respectively.

The Cardinals opened the first set on a 7-1 run before the teams traded the next six points. After a kill by Snyder, Wheeling Jesuit and Cal U each won back-to-back points for the next eight points with the Cardinals managing a 15-9 lead. Wheeling Jesuit closed the opening set by winning five of the last seven points.

In the second set, Wheeling Jesuit raced out to an 8-2 lead before Cal U countered by winning the next four points to trim the deficit to 8-6 on a block assist by Matusik and Hayes. The Cardinals countered by claiming the next three points before the teams traded the next 12 points. Wheeling Jesuit closed the second set on a 10-4 run after winning six of the last seven points.

The Cardinals clinched the match victory behind a dominating .571 hitting percentage in the third set. The teams traded rallies in the opening portion of the set before Wheeling Jesuit mounted a 14-2 run, highlighted by eight-straight points, to take a 21-7 lead.

The Vulcans open Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) play this weekend, beginning with two league crossover matches on Friday, Sept. 19, at Shippensburg, Pennsylvania.