Streaking Panthers earn sixth NCAA playoff berth

ORANGE, Calif. - It finished the regular season playing probably its best volleyball of the year. Now the Chapman University women's volleyball team will try to keep it going in the NCAA Division III tournament. The Panthers have been selected to the NCAA postseason for the first time since 2005 and will travel to the University of Redlands for the West Region championships beginning this Thursday, Nov. 12.

Chapman (18-13) was one of just three teams to secure a Pool ‘B' (at-large) selection in the Division III championships. The Panthers are seeded No. 7 in the seven-team bracket and will face No. 2 seed and host Redlands in the first round. Game time has yet to be determined. The Bulldogs won SCIAC championship by defeating the University of La Verne on Saturday in the conference tournament finals.

The tournament features three of the top-25 teams in Division III. Joining Chapman and Redlands at the regionals are: top-seeded No. 13-ranked Colorado College who received a first-round bye, Cal Lutheran and La Verne from the SCIAC and Northwest Conference champs No. 15 Pacific Lutheran (Wash.) and No. 20 Puget Sound (Wash.).

The Panthers are in the Division III playoffs for the sixth time in school history, last reaching the tournament in back-to-back seasons in 2004-05. Chapman has reached the second round twice. It's the program's eighth regional playoff berth under head coach Mary Cahill (Division II playoffs in 1989 and '90).

Chapman finished the regular season winning seven of its final nine matches, five via sweep. That streak included a five-set victory over first round opponent Redlands on the road last month. The Panthers' 18 victories this season are the most since 1994 (23-9).

The Panthers are led by senior libero and 2008 AVCA All-America selection Linda Ly, who currently ranks No. 2 in Division III in digs (7.8 per game). Junior S Kat Kowalski earned over 1,000 assists for the second time in her career and senior OHs Lyndsey Cargile and Eryn Leja averaged 2.9 kills per game each during the regular season.

Tournament bracket: http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ncaa/sports/w-volley/auto_pdf/2009-WVB-D3Bracket.pdf