Volleyball

LEOPARDS OPEN NCAA TOURNAMENT ACTION ON FRIDAY

The University of La Verne volleyball team earned the #2 seed in the NCAA West Region playoffs in Hayward and will begin play in the region semifinals on Friday against the winner of the Cal State East Bay-Colorado College first round match.

The Leopards (26-6) received an automatic bid to the 2007 NCAA Tournament by virtue of capturing its eighth consecutive conference championship. La Verne is the lone SCIAC representative in the six-team West Region field and will receive an opening round bye along with top-seeded Pacific Lutheran (22-3).

Thursday's two opening round matches include #4 Puget Sound (17-8) against #5 Nebraska Wesleyan (17-11) at 4:30 pm followed by #3 Cal State East Bay (28-4) versus #6 Colorado College (22-10) at 7:00 pm.

ULV is making its eighth straight trip to the NCAA Tournament and has won the West Region on four occasions (2001, 2003, 2004, 2005) since the 2000 season.

The West Region champion would travel to Bloomington, Illinois, site of the NCAA Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Championship held Nov. 15-17 at the Shirk Center on the campus of Illinois Wesleyan University.