CALIFORNIA (Sept 24) – Senior Danielle Hayes (Erie, Pa/McDowell) and junior Ashley Leto (Pittsburgh, Pa/North Allegheny) each posted kill/dig double-doubles on Saturday afternoon, as the Vulcans recorded a 3-1 win (25-10, 23-25, 25-23, 25-18) over West Chester in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) play at the Convocation Center.

With the victory, the California University of Pennsylvania volleyball team improves to 9-3 overall and 2-0 in conference action. Meanwhile, the Golden Rams fall to 10-3 overall and 0-2 in league play.

Hayes recorded a career-high 24 kills on a .263 hitting percentage, while also adding 18 digs and three service aces in the victory. Leto totaled 11 kills and 13 digs against the Golden Rams and sophomore Lois van Schaik (Naarden, Netherlands/St. Vituscollege) posted nine kills and three blocks. Senior Megan Litoborski (Lemont, Ill/Lemont) directed the offense with 46 assists, plus six kills, eight digs and three service aces on Saturday.

Sophomore Bayleana Sowers (Mt. Wolf, Pa./Northeastern) paced the defense with a career-high 27 digs and lassmate Tina Bellhy (McDonald, Pa/Fort Cherry) led the team with four blocks in the win.

Cal U lost the opening point of the first set before winning five straight to take a 5-1 lead. West Chester then collected four of the next six points to trim the lead to 7-5 before a kill by Hayes started a run of five-straight points to give Cal U a 12-5 advantage. The Golden Rams and Vulcans each won two points to make the score 15-8 in favor of the Vulcans. Cal U closed the set by winning 10 of the final 12 points to earn a 25-10 victory.

The Rams took four of the initial five points in the second set to take an early lead before the Vulcans answered with four-unanswered points to take a 5-4 lead. West Chester won four of the next six points to regain the lead at 8-7 and the teams traded runs to tie the score at 13-13. The Vulcans scored six of the next seven points and held a 19-14 advantage before the Golden Rams responded by winning four of the next five points to cut the lead to 20-18. Cal U took a 22-18 lead before West Chester scored five-unanswered points to claim a 23-22 advantage. The Vulcans closed out the second set by winning the last three points following a kill by Hayes, 25-23.

Cal U took the opening three points in the third set before allowing West Chester to take four of the next five points to tie the score at 4-4. The teams traded two-straight runs of two points each to make it 8-8. The Golden Rams took two of the next three points to take a 10-9 advantage before the Vulcans took a 15-12 lead after winning six of the next eight points. West Chester answered by winning five of the next seven points to even the score at 17-17. The teams traded runs of two points before trading points to make the score 22-22. Cal U took a 23-22 lead on a kill by Hayes before losing the next three points to drop the set 25-23.

The Vulcans won three of the initial four points in the fourth set to take an early 3-1 lead. The Golden Rams won six of the next eight points to gain a 7-5 advantage. Cal U responded by winning four of the next six points to even the score at 9-9 and then won eight of the next 11 points to take a 17-12 lead. The Golden Rams claimed a point before the Vulcans took a 21-14 lead after winning four of the next five points. West Chester narrowed the deficit to 23-18 by winning four of the next six points before Cal U closed the match by taking the final two points on kills from Leto and Bellhy, 25-18.

The Vulcans return to action on Tuesday, Sept. 27, when they travel to face Fairmont State in non-conference play at 7 p.m.