Box Score Wheeling, W.Va. – For the fourth year in a row #1 Wheeling Jesuit (37-3) squared off against #3 California University of Pennsylvania (30-8) in the Championship Final of the NCAA Division II Volleyball Regional Tournament.
 
California University of Pennsylvania entered the Championship match with a 3-1 victory over Mercyhurst University and a three set victory over Clarion University. 
 
Wheeling Jesuit University found its way to the Championship game on the heels of  two three set victories over both Chowan University and Seton Hill University.
 
The first set opened up with both teams testing the waters and playing to a 5-5 tie.  California took a four point lead to press the set to 10-6.  Wheeling Jesuit won the next seven points to take a 12-10 lead, prompting a Cal timeout.  Cal battled back to tie the game at 15.  The two teams traded blows, tying the match five times before Vulcan hitting errors and a large block at the net for Wheeling Jesuit sealed the first set for the Cardinals, 25-21. 
 
The second set once again started with a 5-5 tie.  In the middle of the set, the Vulcans took a four point lead 15-11.  Jesuit battled back twice to pull within one point, but the Vulcans eventually pulled away at the end to win the set 25-20. 
 
After two sets, Wheeling Jesuit was led by Kayce Krucki, who had six kills and eight digs.  The Vulcans were led by Laurel Miller who had eight kills and nine digs of her own after two sets.
 
To open the third set, things were once again close until an 8-8 tie.  Jesuit won six of the next eight points and never looked back, winning the third set 25-18 to take a 2 set to 1 lead in the match.  Jesuit out hit the Vulcans .286 to .174.
 
Jesuit raced out to a 4-1 lead in the fourth.  The Vulcans fought to get back in the set to pull within two points at 10-8.  Then a sharp kill at the net by Kindall and then three subsequent blocks put the Cardinals ahead 18-8.  Kindall, who finished with 16 kills and six blocks in the match played unbelievably in the third to propel the Cardinals to a 25-9 victory in the third set to eliminate California University of Pennsylvania for the fourth straight year from the national tournament.
 
Krucki finished the match with 16 kills and 14 digs, while Emma Schleucher had 12 kills, three service aces, and five digs to round out the offensive firepower for the Cardinals.  Once again the specialists were special in the victory for Jesuit.  Makenzie Ripley had 33 digs in the match and Andrea Thobe kept Jesuit in offensive phase all game long with 49 assists.
 
The victory crowns Wheeling Jesuit University the 2014 Atlantic Regional Volleyball Tournament Champion.  WJU moves onto the quarterfinal final round in Louisville, Kentucky on December 4th, to play Tampa University. 
 
The 2014 Atlantic Regional All-Tournament Team:
1. Melanie Chaussee - Chowan
2. Latoya Hutchinson - Edinboro
3. Sarah Wegrzyn - Mercyhurst
4. Hannah Kren - Gannon
5. Morgan Seybold - Clarion
6. Corrine Gahagen - Seton Hill
7. Laurel Miller - California (PA)
8. Mary Lavery - California (PA)
9. Kayce Krucki - Wheeling Jesuit
10. Emma Schleucher - Wheeling Jesuit
11. Haley Kindall - Wheeling Jesuit
12. Andrea Thobe - Wheeling Jesuit