CALIFORNIA (Sept. 8) – The California University of Pennsylvania volleyball team opened play at its Vulcan Invitational with a pair of victories over Le Moyne (N.Y.) and Davis & Elkins at the Convocation Center on Friday.

With the victories, the Vulcans improve to 4-2 overall this season while already playing teams from six different conferences.

Against LeMoyne, Cal U posted a 3-1 win (25-21, 23-25, 25-16, 27-25) while hitting at nearly a .200 clip. Sophomore Rachel Priore (Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin) led all players and tied her career high with 20 kills while posting a .370 hitting percentage. Junior Tina Bellhy (McDonald, Pa./Fort Cherry) added 12 kills and senior Ashley Leto (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) and freshman Madeleine McKenna (Upper Arlington, Ohio/Upper Arlington) both tallied nine kills in the victory. Senior Taylor Solo (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford) tallied 44 assists against the Dolphins at the Convocation Center.

Junior Marisa Fanelli (Ashburn, Va./Broad Run) paced a balanced defensive effort with 20 digs and Solo posted 15 digs for her third assist/dig double-double of the year. Freshman Jensen Silbaugh (Warren, Ohio/Lakeview) registered 13 digs and Leto finished with 11 digs in the win. Priore and junior Halle Murdock (Shrewsbury, Pa./Susquehannock) each controlled the net with five blocks, while Leto and Bellhy added four and three blocks, respectively.

Against Davis & Elkins, the Vulcans cruised to a 3-0 victory (25-17, 25-27, 25-23) as the team combined for only four lead changes in the match. Priore again led the team with 14 kills, while McKenna and Bellhy posted six and five kills, respectively. Solo guided the offense with 28 assists and Bellhy added three service aces in the win. Fanelli finished with 14 digs and Leto and Silbaugh combined for 13 digs against the Senators.

Cal U closes play at its home invitational tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 9, with matches against Lake Erie and Daemen (N.Y.) in the Convocation Center.