SCIAC Tournament: 5 things to know

THE MATCHUP

Chapman heads back to the SCIAC Tournament for the second year in a row to take on Cal Lutheran in Thousand Oaks, Calif. The third-seeded Panthers come into the tournament with a 10-6 record in the SCIAC while Cal Lutheran was 11-5 this year. The Panthers and Regals split the season series with the road team winning each time.

FRESHMEN SPOTLIGHT

A few freshmen headline the matchup on both sides of the net on Thursday. For Chapman, setter/right side Sophie Srivastava and outside hitter Jessi Lumsden have played an enormous role in the Panthers success. SCIAC Newcomer of the Year Srivastava ranks second in all of Division III with nine triple-doubles and ranks fourth in the SCIAC in hitting percentage. Lumsden ranks fourth in the SCIAC in kills per set while Cal Lutheran's Maci Haddad leads the SCIAC in hitting percentage and blocks per set. Both Lumsden and Haddad were selected to the All-SCIAC First Team.

TEAM EFFORT

The Panthers rank tops in the SCIAC and in the top-25 in the nation with a .236 team hitting percentage. It seems as though everyone has contributed to the efficient attack as no one even ranks in the top-150 nationally. Senior Lauren Friend's team-leading .287 hitting percentage ranks 177th nationally and third in the SCIAC. The Panthers have hit .200 or better as a team in 20 of their matches this season.

ROAD WARRIORS

The Panthers will look to capture some road magic at a place where they have had some recent success. Chapman's last two road trips to Thousand Oaks have ended with four-set wins over the Regals. Cal Lutheran's last two road trips to Chapman have also ended with wins – a four-setter in 2017 and a five-setter this year.

SCIAC TOURNAMENT HISTORY

Chapman women's volleyball is making its fourth postseason trip since joining the SCIAC in 2012. The Panthers are 1-3 in their three previous trips, winning their first semifinal match over La Verne in 2012. Chapman fell to Cal Lutheran in the 2012 championship match and then again in the 2013 semifinal match. As the No. 4 seed in 2017, Chapman fell to eventual national champions CMS in the semifinals.