SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University volleyball team stretched its winning streak to three matches with a 25-14, 25-17, 25-16 sweep of California (Pa.) Saturday at Morrow Field House.
 
The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division victory improves The Rock's record to 11-11 overall and 4-6 in conference competition. With four matches remaining in the regular season, SRU is now tied for fifth place in the division standings and just two matches behind fourth-place Indiana University (Pa.).
 
The top four teams from the PSAC West standings at the end of the regular season - based on win-loss record in mandated divisional play – qualify for the PSAC Tournament.
 
As has been the case for the entirety of SRU's winning streak, The Rock's victory on Saturday was once again highlighted by an efficient attack that featured an .274 team hitting percentage and 36 combined kills from Erica Selfridge, Callie Chevalier and Chelsie Wheeler. SRU's attack percentage against the Vulcans was its second highest single-match tally of 2024.
 
Selfridge continued her great all-around play with a 15-kill, .333 attack percentage, three-ace, nine-dig, one block showing.
 
Chevalier stretched her double-digit kill streak to five matches all the while serving one ace, posting two blocks and making only one attack error for a .550 hitting percentage.
 
Wheeler came off the bench to provide SRU with nine kills while middle hitter Lauren VonderHaar went for five kills in addition to a match-best five blocks (three solo / two assisted). She was joined inside by Victoria Nalbach, who had two blocks (one solo / one assisted) in her second start of 2024.
 
Setters Paityn Krause and Jaeden Yost combined for 39 assists (20 / 19), Kara Pasquale served two aces and Kate Lachendro-Biery made 19 digs to round out SRU's top performers. Yost also served an ace – her team-best 35th of the season.
 
Slippery Rock finished off the season sweep of the Vulcans by holding advantages in kills (47-23), attack percentage (.274-.050), aces (7-0), blocks (8-3) and digs (54-45).
 
All three sets Saturday featured big Rock runs late.
 
Already leading 18-12 in the opener, Slippery Rock jumped out to an early one-set advantage by taking seven of the last nine points for a 25-14 showing. Six of Selfridge's team-high kill total came in the first set.  
 
The Rock then played their way to a five-point (21-16) edge in the second set before claiming a 25-17 win courtesy of a 4-1 finishing run. It was Chevalier's turn in the second as she earned five kills on six attempts. Spurring on a stout defensive effort was VonderHaar with three of her blocks coming in the middle set of the day.
 
The Vulcans hung close with SRU in the third set, trailing by just two points at 16-14 only for Slippery Rock to take over late by way of a 9-2 match-ending run that resulted in a 25-16 decision. Selfridge came away with three kills and as many aces in the final set.
 
Allie Droneberger led California with seven kills and two blocks.
 
Slippery Rock hits the road for the final time of the 2024 regular season with away matches 6 p.m. Nov. 8 at Indiana (Pa.) and 1 p.m. Nov. 9 against Clarion.




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