ERIE, Pa.- The Mercyhurst volleyball team takes on California (Pa.) in an NCAA Tournament First Round match at Wheeling Jesuit University. The Lakers are making their fourth NCAA Tournament appearance since 2008.
 
Wheeling Jesuit earned the top seed and will host the eight-team regional. The Cardinals won the 2013 Atlantic Region Championship and advanced to the Final Four. This year, they will host eighth-seeded Chowan on Thursday.
 
Fourth-seeded Seton Hill will meet #5 Gannon in another first-round contest. Second seed Clarion will face #7 Edinboro, as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division landed six NCAA Tournament bids.
 
Mercyhurst went 18-12 in the regular season, recording its third straight winning record. The Lakers knocked off three NCAA Tournament teams, defeating Clarion, Gannon, and Edinboro this year. Junior Lexi Stefanov earned All-PSAC Western Division honors for the second consecutive season.
 
Cal is 28-8, including the PSAC Tournament Championship last weekend. The Vulcans have qualified for 11 straight NCAA Tournaments. Laurel Miller was named All-PSAC Western Division First Team and Miranda Fouzie garnered All-PSAC Western Division Second Team recognition.
 
The winner of the Mercyhurst-Cal match will face the winner of the Clarion-Edinboro contest on Friday at 5 p.m. The other semifinal will feature the winner of the Wheeling-Chowan match and the winner of the Seton Hill-Gannon match.