Nov. 20, 2009

CALIFORNIA - The Vulcans used 20-kill performance by sophomore middle hitter Bridget Bielich (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) to down Wheeling Jesuit by a 3-1 count (25-23, 22-25, 25-14, 25-23) on Friday night at Hamer Hall and advance to their fourth-straight NCAA Atlantic Regional Championship.

The California University of Pennsylvania volleyball team will face PSAC East rival Lock Haven in the regional final at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow, Saturday, Nov. 21. The Vulcans improved to their record to 35-5 on the season and the Cardinals finish the year with a 36-6 mark. Lock Haven earned a spot in the championship after defeating Edinboro, 3-0, in the other semifinal match.

Bielich evened her season and career high with 20 kills on 36 attacks for a .500 hitting percentage. Senior outside hitter Joanna Nist (Rockwood, Pa./Rockwood) finished with 15 kills and classmate Ludmila Amaral (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Afonso Schimidt) added 13 kills and seven blocks (all solo).

Junior libero Julie Paronish (Hastings, Pa./Northern Cambria) led the Cal U defensive effort with 27 digs, while seniors Ashley Moore (Yorktown, Va./Grafton) and Renata da Silva (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Colegio Ateneu) both tallied 14 digs. Moore also posted nine kills and three blocks in the victory, while da Silva engineered the offense with 50 assists and four blocks.

In a rematch of last weekend's PSAC Championship, the Vulcans will face the Bald Eagles in the 2009 Atlantic Regional Championship. Cal U has won the last seven matches against the Lock Haven dating back to the championship match of the 2006 NCAA regional tournament.