LOUISVILLE, Ky (Aug. 31) – The Vulcans registered a split at the Bellarmine Kickoff Classic on Friday, posting a 3-2 victory over West Virginia Wesleyan before falling by a 3-1 count to Davenport (Mich.).
With the split, the California University of Pennsylvania volleyball team moves to 4-2 overall this season while already playing opponents from five different conferences.
Against West Virginia Wesleyan (0-1), the Vulcans secured a 3-2 win in a five-set thriller (25-18, 20-25, 25-20, 21-25, 15-8) after junior
Rachel Priore (Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin) and freshman
Sarah Moehring (Palm City, Fla./Martin County) both registered kill/dig double-doubles in the contest. Priore paced the team with 22 kills on a .367 hitting percentage and added 15 digs, nearly matching her career highs in both categories. Moehring tallied 12 kills and 11 digs in the victory over the Bobcats on Friday morning. Sophomore
Madeleine McKenna (Upper Arlington, Ohio/Upper Arlington) established a career high with 11 kills on a .223 clip, while freshman
Sarah Benson (Canton, Ohio/Jackson) guided the offense with a season-high 46 assists.
Sophomore
Jensen Silbaugh (Warren, Ohio/Lakeview) led the team with 19 digs, while Priore and Moehring both reached double-figures in digs. The Vulcans recorded nine aces in the match with freshman
Shelby Alloway (Dunkirk, Ohio/Hardin Northern) posting a team-high three service aces. The defensive effort at the net was led by senior
Tina Bellhy (McDonald, Pa./Fort Cherry) and McKenna, who recorded four and three blocks, respectively.
Against Davenport (4-3), Cal U suffered a 3-1 loss (25-27, 25-6, 25-15, 25-18) after struggling to find its rhythm after being held to under .100 hitting percentage in three sets. Bellhy and Priore tied for the team lead with seven kills and Moehring tallied six kills. Benson directed the offense with 28 assists and added five digs against the Panthers.
Silbaugh recorded 22 digs in the contest to mark her first match with at least 20 digs after registering nine in 2017. Priore set a new career high with 18 digs and Alloway notched 12 digs in the loss. Cal U was held to a season-low five service aces and limited to just two blocks in the match on Friday evening.
The Vulcans continue play in Kentucky tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 1, against West Alabama and host Bellarmine, which made its first NCAA Tournament appearance in school history in 2017.
