CALIFORNIA (Sept. 2) – The California (PA) duo of senior
Emily Buwawa and sophomore
Elisa Rugiero were both voted to the all-tournament team following the conclusion of the Vulcan Invitational on Saturday afternoon.
Buwawa and Rugiero helped the Vulcans start the season with a 3-0 for the second time in a decade. The season-opening event at the Convocation Center featured four schools from three different conferences.
The team's libero, Buwawa tied for the team lead with 43 digs while averaging 2.87 digs per set. She also collected a combined seven service aces and 11 assists over 15 sets this weekend. She posted 13 digs and five assists in the season-opening 3-2 victory against West Virginia Wesleyan on Friday afternoon. The Laurel Highlands product then collected 10 digs and three service aces later that night in a 3-2 win over Ohio Dominican. Buwawa closed the weekend with a team-high 20 digs, plus three service aces and five assists, in a 3-2 victory against Bloomsburg on Saturday.
Rugerio registered an impressive 57.5 points behind a combined 42 kills, 13 blocks and eight service aces. She posted a kill/dig double-double in all three matches over the weekend after being an All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West Second-Team selection as a true freshman. Rugerio tallied 10 kills, 15 digs, three blocks and two service aces on Friday in the season-opening win over West Virginia Wesleyan. The sophomore Italian collected 16 kills on a .214 hitting percentage, plus added 12 digs, five blocks and three service aces, later on Friday in a victory against Ohio Dominican. Rugerio totaled 16 kills while hitting at a .227 clip with 13 digs, five blocks and three service aces on Saturday in a win over Bloomsburg.
The Vulcans return to action next weekend at the Wildcat Den Classic hosted by Daemen on Sept. 8-9 in Amherst, New York.
VULCAN INVITATIONAL ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Emma Antigua, Bloomsburg
Emily Buwawa, California
Emily Denison, West Virginia Wesleyan
Lauren Lucas, Ohio Dominican
Elisa Rugiero, California
Kelsey Shoup, Ohio Dominican
