LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Lock Haven University volleyball team is set for the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Championships, which kick off tomorrow (Thursday, Nov. 20) at California (Pa.) University, the host site and region’s number-one seed.

The Tournament:

Cal (Pa.) will serve as the host site of this year’s NCAA D-II Atlantic Region Tournament. A total of 64 teams in eight different regions will kick off action, starting tomorrow, as each team has hopes of claiming the NCAA Championship. All games will be played in Cal’s Hamer Hall. The winner of the Atlantic Region will advance to the NCAA Elite Eight (Dec. 4).

Full Atlantic Region Pairings:

No. 1 California (Pennsylvania) (37-1) vs. No. 8 Elizabeth City State (31-9)

No. 2 Wheeling Jesuit (28-9) vs. No. 7 West Virginia State (25-4)

No. 3 Edinboro (26-8) vs. No. 6 Slippery Rock (25-11)

No. 4 Lock Haven (28-5) vs. No. 5 Mercyhurst (21-14)

Schedule:

Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008

12 p.m. – Match No. 1

First Round: Edinboro vs. Slippery Rock

2:30 p.m. – Match No. 2

First Round: West Virginia State vs. Wheeling Jesuit

5 p.m. – Match No. 3

First Round: Mercyhurst vs. Lock Haven

7:30 p.m. – Match No. 4

First Round: California (Pa.) vs. Elizabeth City State

Friday, Nov. 21, 2008

5 p.m. – Match No. 1

Second Round: Winner of match No. 1 vs. Winner of match No. 2

7:30 p.m. – Match No. 2

Second Round: Winner of match No. 3 vs. Winner of match No. 4

Saturday, Nov. 22, 2008

7:30 p.m. - NCAA Regional Championship Match

Lady Eagles ready to roll:

The Lady Eagles enter this year’s tournament, as the number-four seed after going 28-5 overall this year. LHU went a perfect 12-0 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East action. Lock Haven will be looking for its seventh regional crown. LHU head coach Tom Justice and his team had won four straight before last season (2006, 2005, 2004 & 2003). With a win in this year’s Regional Championship game, the Lady Eagles would advance to the NCAA Elite Eight. Lock Haven missed out on the Elite Eight in 2007 after three straight appearances (2006, 2005 & 2004). Leading the way for LHU is senior Stacey Borgia (Factoryville, Pa./Lackawanna Trail), who is has been nothing short of sensational on the offensive side of the ball. She leads the team in kills with 641 and is ranked second in the nation in hitting percentage heading into the tournament (.482).

LHU’s Opening Match:

Lock Haven will play a familiar face in Meryhurst University to open regional tournament play. Lock Haven is 1-1 vs. the Lakers this season, with their most recent meeting coming just five days ago in the PSAC Semifinals. The 3-0 win for LHU avenged an earlier season 3-0 loss to MU. The Haven is 6-6 all-time against Mercyhurst. The winner of this match will be face off against the winner of No. 1 California (Pal) and eighth-seeded Elizabeth City. Lock Haven fell to Cal 3-0 in Saturday night’s PSAC Championship match.

National Rankings:

Lock Haven continues to lead the nation at the D-II level in total hitting percentage with a .326 team hitting percentage. Borgia is ranked No. 2 nationally in individual hitting percentage after leading the nation most of the season. She is ranked No. 31 in kills/set with 3.67. Junior Christie Naumann (Charters Towers, Australia/Gladstone) is ranked No. 5 in the nation in aces/set with 0.67. Junior Fabiana Gomez (Montevideo, Uraguay/Consegjo de E.S.) is a huge key for LHU and is ranked-20th in the nation in assists per set with 10.90. She leads the Lady Eagles with 1068 assists on the year.

Check back for updates (HavenSports.com).

For the official tournament website visit the following link.