KUTZTOWN, Pa. (Oct. 27) – Behind a season-high 13 total blocks, the California University of Pennsylvania volleyball team posted a 3-1 victory (25-18, 15-25, 25-19, 25-23) at Kutztown on Saturday afternoon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Crossover action.
 
With the win, the Vulcans extend their winning streak to four-straight matches and improve to 18-9 overall with an 11-5 mark in league play. After a pair of matches this weekend, Cal U and Seton Hill remain in a tie for first place in the PSAC Southwest standings heading into the final week of the regular season. Meanwhile, the Golden Bears fall to 10-15 this season behind a 3-12 record in conference action.
 
Freshman Sarah Moehring (Palm City, Fla./Martin County) led the team with 13 kills on a .229 hitting percentage and added four digs, while senior Lois van Schaik (Naarden, Netherlands/St. Vituscollege) totaled eight kills and six digs. Junior Rachel Priore (Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin) tallied seven kills and three digs against the Golden Bears. Freshman Sarah Benson (Canton, Ohio/Jackson) directed the offense with 32 assists and seven digs.
 
Sophomore Jensen Silbaugh (Warren, Ohio/Lakeview) guided the defense with 14 digs, while freshman Shelby Alloway (Dunkirk, Ohio/Hardin Northern) registered 13 digs on Saturday. van Schaik set a career high with eight blocks and freshman Kiandria Cowart (East Liverpool, Ohio/East Liverpool) recorded a season-high seven blocks. Senior Tina Bellhy (McDonald,Pa./Fort Cherry) and Moehring both tallied four blocks in the victory.
 
Kutztown took an early 6-3 lead in the opening set before Cal U rallied with three-straight points to tie at contest at 6-6. Both teams traded the next five points before the Vulcans scored three-unanswered points to take an 11-9 advantage. The Golden Bears recorded four of the next six points to tie to match at 13-13. The Vulcans used a 9-3 run to establish a 22-16 lead before tallying three of the next five points to take the first set by a 25-18 margin.
 
The Golden Bears totaled 12 kills on a .300 clip to claim the second set by a 25-15 count. Kutztown recorded an 8-2 lead to open the set before Cal U scored four-consecutive points to cut the deficit to 8-6. The Golden Bears registered a 6-2 run to build a 14-8 advantage before scoring five of the next nine points to extend the lead to 19-13. The Vulcans notched back-to-back points before a 6-1 run sealed the second set for Kutztown, 25-15.
 
Cal U opened up a 6-3 advantage in the third set before Kutztown tallied five-straight points to take an 8-6 lead. The Vulcans scored four of the next five points to take a 10-9 advantage before the Golden Bears reclaimed the lead at 12-10. Kutztown extended the advantage to 16-13 before Cal U registered six-unanswered points to take a 20-16 lead. The Vulcans recorded five of the next eight points to secure the third set, 25-19.
 
The Vulcans claimed the match victory with a 25-23 win in the fourth set. Cal U took a 6-4 advantage before scoring two of the next three points to extend the lead 8-5. The Golden Bears notched three-consecutive points to tie the match at 8-8 before exchanging the next six points. The Vulcans registered three-straight points to take a 15-11 advantage and forced a Kutztown timeout. A 6-2 run from the Golden Bears tied the contest at 17-17 before the Vulcans scored five of the next eight points to take a 22-20 lead. Cal U sealed the match victory with a 25-23 win after both teams traded the final six points.
 
The Vulcans return to action, Tuesday, Oct. 30, as they open the final week of the regular season by facing Seton Hill in the Convocation Center at 7 p.m.