• Box Score

WHEELING, W.Va. (Dec. 6) – Senior Molly Delaney (Carmel, Ind./Westfield) and junior Laurel Miller (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) both recorded kill/dig double-doubles, as the third-seeded Vulcans advanced to the Atlantic Regional Championship with a 3-0 win (25-15, 25-22, 25-20) over second-seeded Clarion on Friday evening.

With the victory, the California University of Pennsylvania volleyball team improves to 30-8 overall and reaches the 30-win plateau for the eighth time in the last nine years. The Vulcans will now face top-seeded and host Wheeling Jesuit tomorrow, Saturday, Dec. 7, at 7 p.m. The Cardinals advanced on Friday by earning a 3-0 victory (25-10, 25-11, 25-21) over Shippensburg. Meanwhile, Clarion finishes the year with a 32-5 mark after making its 10th appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2002.

Miller registered a match-high 17 kills and added 13 digs on Friday evening, while Delaney tallied 12 kills and 14 digs in the sweep. Both players recorded their 17th kill/dig double-double of the season, including a combined seven double-doubles in post-season play. Sophomore Mary Lavery (La Plata, Md./La Plata) added eight kills and classmate Miranda Fouzie (Kingston, Ontario/Sydenham) finished with a team-best four blocks.

Senior Abbey Freund (Cottage Grove, Wis./Monona Grove) collected her fifth assist/dig double-double of the year, tallying 17 assists and 10 digs, while freshman Kristen Scurpa (Sharpsville, Pa./Sharpsville) also engineered the offense with 17 assists. Sophomore Samantha Rudy (Greencastle, Pa./Greencastle-Antrim) rounded out a quartet in double-digit digs, posting 10 digs against Clarion.

The Vulcans powered to a 25-15 victory in the first set after recording an impressive .438 hitting percentage on 32 attempts. Each team earned back-to-back points to open play before trading the next eight points. Clarion would win three of four points to take an 8-7 lead before Cal U won three-straight points to take a 10-8 lead. After the Golden Eagles won back-to-back points, the Vulcans seized control of the set with an 8-1 rally to take a 23-13 lead. Miller and Delaney each tallied six kills in the opening set and Cal U committed only two errors.

Miller again keyed the offensive attack in the second set, as Cal U earned a 25-22 win after the teams combined for seven ties and five lead changes. The Vulcans posted a 9-3 run early in the set to take a 13-8 lead before each team won back-to-back points. Clarion then won seven of the next eight points to take a 17-16 lead before Cal U responded with an 8-3 rally to claim a 24-20 lead.

The Vulcans completed the sweep after limiting the Golden Eagles to only a .061 hitting percentage in the third set. Leading 6-4, Cal U took control of the set with an 11-1 run behind a run of seven-straight points served by sophomore Taylor Melidona (Rochester, N.Y./Irondequoit). The Golden Eagles countered with a 7-1 rally to trim the deficit to 16-14 before the Vulcans earned two of the next three points. The teams then traded the next eight points and Cal U later won the last three points to seal the victory.

Cal U will face Wheeling Jesuit tomorrow, Saturday, Dec. 7, in the regional championship of the NCAA Tournament for the third-straight year. The Vulcans have won seven of the last 10 meetings against the Cardinals; however, Wheeling Jesuit has won three of the last four matches, including the last two Atlantic Regional championships. Cal U has advanced to the regional final of the NCAA Tournament in each of the last eight years and holds a 26-12 all-time record in the tournament.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Thursday, Dec. 5
Match 1 - (3) California (Pa.) d. (6) Gannon, 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-20)
Match 2 - (2) Clarion d. (7) Seton Hill, 3-0 (25-19, 30-28, 25-21)
Match 3 - (4) Shippensburg d. (5) Pitt-Johnstown, 3-0 (25-20, 26-24, 25-19)
Match 4 - (1) Wheeling Jesuit d. (8) Fayetteville State, 3-0 (25-11, 25-10, 25-18)

Friday, Dec. 6
Match 5 - (3) California (Pa.) d. (2) Clarion, 3-0 (25-15, 25-22, 25-20)
Match 6 - (1) Wheeling Jesuit d. (4) Shippensburg, 3-0 (25-10, 25-11, 25-21)

Saturday, Dec. 7
Match 7 - (3) California (Pa.) vs. (1) Wheeling Jesuit, 7 p.m.