CALIFORNIA (Nov. 8) – Behind a trio of players with double-digit kills, the Vulcans took sole possession of first place in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Southwest Division on Tuesday night with a 3-0 victory (25-19, 25-23, 25-17) over Seton Hill at the Convocation Center in league action.

With the win, the California University of Pennsylvania volleyball team improves to 19-8 overall behind an 11-5 mark in conference play. The Vulcans now hold a one-match lead over both IUP and Clarion – their opponents this weekend – with two matches left in the regular season. Meanwhile, Seton Hill falls to 17-12 this season with a 9-7 record in league action.

Sophomore Seairra Barrett (Center Twp., Pa./Central Valley), who was named the PSAC Southwest Athlete of Week earlier on Tuesday, led the team with 12 kills on a .435 hitting percentage. Senior Danielle Hayes (Erie, Pa./McDowell) and sophomore Tina Bellhy (McDonald, Pa./Fort Cherry) both collected with 10 kills, as Bellhy hit at a .444 clip while setting a career high in kills. Senior Megan Litoborski (Lemont, Ill./Lemont) guided the offense with 39 assists against the Griffins.

Sophomore Bayleana Sowers (Mt. Wolf, Pa./Northeastern) and junior Ashley Leto (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) each paced the defensive effort on Tuesday with 14 digs. Litoborski finished with 12 assists for her 13th assist/dig of the season. Hayes added nine digs, two service aces and four blocks in the victory, while Barrett recorded five blocks. Leto also tallied three service aces against Seton Hill.

In the first set, Cal U raced out to a 7-2 lead on a solo block by Barrett and later added three-straight points to stretch its lead to 11-4 on a kill by sophomore Lois van Schaik (Naarden, Netherlands/St. Vituscollege). Following a timeout, the Griffins rallied off six-unanswered points to cut the deficit to 11-10 before a timeout by the Vulcans. Seton Hill then tied the score before Cal U won four-consecutive points to take a 16-12 lead on a kill by Leto. The Griffins then won three-straight points to trim the deficit to 16-15 before the teams traded points. Leading 20-19, Cal U claimed five-straight points to close the set with a 25-19 win following an attacking error.

The Vulcans committed only two attacking errors in the second set on Tuesday night. Early in the set, Cal U won five of six points to take a 6-3 lead before Seton Hill countered by claiming six of seven points to take a 9-7 lead. The teams traded the next two points before the Vulcans earned five-unanswered points to reclaim the lead at 13-10 following back-to-back service aces by Hayes. Seton Hill won three of the next four points to trim the deficit to 14-13 before the teams traded points. The Vulcans later claimed five of six points to take a 23-18 lead on a kill by Bellhy. Seton Hill responded by winning five of six points before Cal U closed the match with a 25-23 on a kill by van Schaik.

Cal U and Seton Hill traded the opening points in the third set before the Vulcans won eight of nine points to take a 10-5 lead on a solo block by Hayes. The Vulcans later mounted a 6-2 run to take a 16-8 lead on a kill by van Schaik. Seton Hill then won six of eight points to cut the deficit to 18-14 before Cal U answered with four-straight points to take a 22-14 lead on a service ace by Leto. The teams traded runs of back-to-back points before the Vulcans closed the match with a 25-17 lead on a kill by Bellhy.

The Vulcans continue PSAC Southwest play on Friday, Nov. 11, when they host IUP at 7 p.m.