ERIE, Pa. (Nov. 18) – The fourth-seeded California University of Pennsylvania volleyball team was eliminated from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament with a 3-0 loss (26-24, 25-19, 25-19) in the semifinals to top-seeded and host Gannon at the Hammermill Center on Friday night.

With the loss, the Vulcans fall to 22-9 overall and must now wait to see if they receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. Cal U was slotted sixth in each of the last two editions of the NCAA Atlantic regional rankings. Meanwhile, the Lady Knights improve to 29-3 this season and will face third-seeded Pitt-Johnstown in the PSAC Championship tomorrow, Saturday, Nov. 19.

Senior Danielle Hayes (Erie, Pa./McDowell) led the team with 11 kills on a .219 percentage and sophomore Seairra Barrett (Center Twp., Pa./Central Valley) totaled 10 kills while hitting at a .261 clip. Junior Ashley Leto (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) and sophomore Lois van Schaik (Naarden, Netherlands/St. Vituscollege) both added seven kills in the losing effort. Senior Megan Litoborski (Lemont, Ill./Lemont) guided the offense with 38 assists against Gannon on Friday night.

Leto paced the defensive effort with 17 digs, while sophomore Bayleana Sowers (Mt. Wolf, Pa./Northeastern) collected 11 digs plus two service aces. Hayes and Litoborski each finished with eight digs at the Hammermill Center.

In the first set, Cal U and Gannon both recorded hitting percentages of over .300 and combined for 11 ties and five lead changes. The Lady Knights opened the match on a 6-3 run before the Vulcans countered with three-straight point to tie the score at 6-6 on a kill by Hayes. The teams then traded points before Cal U again collected three-unanswered points to take a 13-12 lead on a block assist by Barrett and Hayes. The Vulcans later mounted a 5-2 run to build a 19-16 lead following a kill by Barrett before the Lady Knights called a timeout. Gannon then cut the deficit to 23-22 before Cal U called a timeout. The Vulcans won the initial point after the timeout before the Lady Knights staved off set point and rallied off four-straight points to earn a 26-24 victory.

The Lady Knights hit at an impressive .357 clip in the second set, while the Vulcans committed seven attacking errors. Cal U won five of six points early in the set to take a 7-4 lead on a kill by van Schaik before the teams traded the next six points. The Lady Knight then seized control of the set by winning nine-straight points to build a 16-10 lead despite the Vulcans calling a timeout midway through the rally. Cal U answered by winning seven of the next 10 points to trim the deficit to 19-17 on an attacking error. Gannon then won the next three points to take a 22-17 lead before a timeout by Cal U. The Vulcans won two of the next three points before the Lady Knights claimed back-to-back points to earn a 25-19 win.

Gannon won the opening two points of the third set and never relinquished the lead in the set. The Vulcans won four of six points to tie the score at 6-6 on a service ace by Sowers before the Lady Knights claimed four-straight points to reclaim the lead at 10-6. Gannon later earned three-unanswered points to stretch its lead to 14-8 before Cal U won three of four points to trim the deficit to 15-11. The Lady Knights then won four of five points to extend their lead to 19-12. Cal U mounted a 5-2 run to cut the deficit to 21-17 on a kill by van Schaik before Gannon called a timeout. The Lady Knights earned the next three points before finishing with a 25-19 victory in the set.

Cal U looks to receive one of the five at-large bids to the Atlantic Regional Tournament with the field being announced on Monday, Nov. 21, at 7:30 p.m. The tournament champions from the PSAC, Mountain East Conference (MEC) and Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CAA) will receive automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament.