CALIFORNIA (Sept. 23) – Playing with various lineups throughout the match, the California University of Pennsylvania volleyball team opened Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) action with a 3-0 victory (25-7, 25-9, 25-12) against Cheyney on Friday night at the Convocation Center.

With the win, the Vulcans improve to 8-3 overall and start league play with a 1-0 mark and three points in the league standings. Meanwhile, the Wolves fall to 1-6 this season and fall to 0-1 this year in conference action.

Sophomore Lois van Schaik (Naarden, Netherlands/St. Vituscollege) led the team with eight kills on a .583 hitting percentage, while classmate Emily Bucklin (Marysville, Ohio/Marysville) finished with seven kills and hit at a staggering .636 clip. Senior Danielle Hayes (Erie, Pa./McDowell) posted six kills on a .545 hitting percentage while playing sparingly over three sets. Senior Megan Litoborski (Lemont, Ill./Lemont) collected 17 assists in two sets and junior Taylor Solo (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford) finished with 11 assists. Freshman Rachel Priore (Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin) registered four service aces in the sweep, while junior Ashley Leto (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) tallied three service aces.

Sophomore libero Bayleana Sowers (Mt. Wolf, Pa./Northeastern) paced the defense with 11 digs and junior Emily Berry (Beaver, Pa./Beaver) added eight digs in the victory. Bucklin and Litoborski tied for the team lead with three blocks against the Wolves.

Cal U posted a dominating.467 hitting percentage in the first set after committing only two attacking errors on 30 attempts. The Vulcans opened the match with five-straight points behind two service aces by van Schaik. The teams traded the next six points before Cal U won three-straight points to take an 11-3 lead before later stretching the lead to 18-5 with six-consecutive points with the run capped by a kill from van Schaik. Cal U eventually closed the set by winning seven of eight points to earn a 25-7 win on a kill by Litoborski.

The Vulcans forced the Wolves to a negative hitting percentage in both the second and third set. Cal U jumped out to a sizeable 18-2 lead in the second set with Priore collecting four service aces late in the run. The Wolves countered by winning seven of the next 11 points to cut the score to 22-9 before the Vulcans won the next three points to claim a 25-9 victory on an attacking error.

In the third set, the teams traded the opening 13 points before Cal U won three of four points to take an 11-7 lead on an attacking error. The Vulcans later won nine-straight points to take a 21-9 lead behind three service aces by Leto. The teams then traded back-to-back points before Cal U won the match with a 25-12 victory in the third set.

The Vulcans continue league crossover play tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 24, when they host West Chester at 1 p.m.