CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Sept. 2) – The California University of Pennsylvania volleyball team posted a split at the Queens Invitational for a consecutive day, dropping a 3-1 contest to Augusta (Ga.) before earning a 3-1 win over Shorter (Ga.) on Saturday.
With the split, the Vulcans close the season-opening invitational in North Carolina with a 2-2 record while playing teams from four different conferences.
Against Augusta, Cal U suffered a 3-1 loss (25-23, 25-22, 26-28, 25-19) after being held to under .100 hitting percentage in two sets. Sophomore
Rachel Priore (Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin) led the team with 12 kills, while junior
Tina Bellhy (McDonald, Pa./Fort Cherry) and senior
Ashley Leto (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) each tallied eight kills. Junior
Emily Bucklin (Marysville, Ohio/Marysville) added seven kills while hitting at a .375 hitting percentage. Senior
Taylor Solo (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford) finished with 38 assists in the loss.
Junior
Marisa Fanelli (Ashburn, Va./Broad Run) collected 12 digs to lead five players with double-digit digs. Solo and freshman
Jensen Silbaugh (Warren, Ohio Lakeview) both tallied 11 digs, while Leto and freshman
Madeleine McKenna (Upper Arlington, Ohio/Upper Arlington) each posted 10 digs against the Jaguars. Bellhy added seven block assists and three service aces, while Priore also recorded five blocks (three solo) and two service aces.
Against Shorter, the Vulcans claimed a 3-1 win (25-22, 15-25, 25-23, 25-20) in their last match of the weekend. Priore registered 15 kills and four other players collected at least six kills in the victory. McKenna finished with eight kills and Leto totaled seven kills, while Bellhy and Bucklin each posted six kills. Solo guided the offense with 39 assists against the Hawks.
Fanelli and Leto combined for 40 digs with Fanelli leading the team with 21 digs, while Silbaugh recorded nine digs and four service aces in the win. Bellhy controlled the net with five blocks (two solo) and Priore and Bucklin each posted three block assists.
Cal U returns to action next weekend when it hosts the annual Vulcan Invitational on Sept. 8-9 in both Hamer Hall and the Convocation Center.
