RINDGE, N.H. (Aug. 25) – The California University of Pennsylvania volleyball team posted a split at the Raven First Serve Invitational, dropping a 3-1 contest to New Haven (Conn.) before earning a 3-0 victory over the host Franklin Pierce on Saturday.
With the split, the Vulcans close the season-opening invitational in New Hampshire with a 3-1 record while playing teams from four different states.
Against New Haven (1-2), Cal U suffered a 3-1 loss (14-25, 25-18, 25-17, 25-13) after being held to under .100 hitting percentage in two sets. Seniors
Tina Bellhy (McDonald, Pa./Fort Cherry) and
Lois van Schaik (Naarden, Netherlands/St. Vituscollege) tied for the team lead with nine kills, while junior
Rachel Priore (Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin) tallied seven kills.
Freshman
Sarah Benson (Canton, Ohio/Jackson) registered her second assist/dig double-double of the invitational, pacing the team with 35 assists and 10 digs. Sophomore
Jensen Silbaugh (Warren, Ohio/Lakeview) and freshman
Sarah Moehring (Palm City, Fla./Martin County) each totaled nine digs against the Chargers. The Vulcans tallied 13 service aces in the match with freshman
Shelby Alloway (Dunkirk, Ohio/Hardin Northern) leading the team with five aces in the loss on Saturday afternoon.
Against Franklin Pierce (0-5), the Vulcans claimed a 3-0 win (25-19, 25-13, 25-12) in their last match of the weekend. Moehring paced the team with 10 kills and three other players collected at least six kills. Priore recorded nine kills, while van Schaik and senior
Emily Bucklin (Marysville, Ohio/Marysville) each notched six kills. Benson directed the offense with 27 assists and three service aces in the victory.
Moehring posted 10 digs to collect a kill/dig double-double, while Alloway and Silbaugh tallied eight and six digs, respectively. The defensive effort at the net was led by van Schaik with four blocks (three solo) against the Ravens.
Cal U returns to action next weekend when it travels to Louisville, Kentucky, for the Bellarmine Kickoff Classic from Aug. 31-Sept.1.
