SAN DIEGO - The Point Loma volleyball team swept Concordia (CA), 25-16, 25-21 and 27-25, on Senior Day to put themselves in great position to make the NCAA West Regional, which will be announced on Monday, Nov. 23.
 
The Sea Lions, which were ranked No. 6 in the latest NCAA regional poll, closed out their regular season by winning 12 of their last 13 matches to go 20-9. They finished their PacWest schedule tied for second in the league with California Baptist at 14-6. Concordia finishes tied for ninth in the standings in its first season in the PacWest.
 
Heather Leavitt continued her great senior campaign with a match-best 21 kills in the three sets. She also posted 12 digs for her 22nd double-double in 29 matches this season. Durign the match, Leavitt became the sixth Sea Lion to ever reach 1,500 kills in her career. She now has 1,520 in her four-year career with PLNU. The Sea Lions also got 31 assists and 11 digs from fellow senior Savannah Wedemeyer. Another senior, Kelli LeClair, paced PLNU in digs with 15.
 
The Sea Lions knew this was critical match to keep their playoff hopes alive, and they jumped on the opportunity by scoring the first eight points of the match, to seize the early lead and put the Eagles on their heels for the night.
 
"We did step up, especially to start the match," said Point Loma head coach Jonathan Scott. "It was an emotional Senior Night and it was real concern if we were going to refocus into volleyball and we played lights out in the first set."
 
The second set was more of a struggle as CUI actually outhit PLNU in the set .216 to .194. The Sea Lions pulled off a timely 5-1 run late to come from behind with a 25-21 victory.
 
"Concordia really figured us out well and they played a great match but we ended up finding a way to win (that second set)," said Scott.
 
In the third both teams' defensive were locked in and each held their opponent below .100 percent hitting. But once again the Sea Lions found a way to grind out a victory as they won the set 27-25, to secure the sweep.
 
During the match, the Sea Lions advantages came on the serves where they outscored the Eagles 7-1 on aces. PLNU also won the hitting battle .180 to .139 and edged CUI in blocks 8-7.
"It took us a while to realize how hard you have to work to win," said coach Jon Scott about the Sea Lions' late season run. "We have been a senior heavy roster, and we worked hard the past couple seasons and had a lot of real quality matches. This season it took us a while to get back to where we had been, but I believe we are there and we are as good as we have ever been. The way we are playing, we are the team to beat."
 
The Sea Lions will now wait to hear their playoff fate during the NCAA Selection Show on Monday, Nov. 23 at 4:30 p.m. The Selection Show will be broadcast in the ARC in Nicholson Commons on campus of PLNU or can be seen at http://www.ncaa.com/live/player?vid=2015/2041&date=2015/11/23
 
"This whole process is different and just something we have to deal with," explained Scott. "We will find out officially in a few days. We are acting like we are going with everything we are doing, and we will be ready to start practice right after we see the NCAA Selection Show. The season is not over."
 
Prior to the match the Sea Lions said goodbye to their six seniors who would all be playing their final matches in Golden Gymnasium. Savannah Wedemeyer, Cayleen Harty, Heather Leavitt, Bree Vieth, Sam Stack and Kelli LeClair all played four years in the Sea Lions' uniform and helped lead PLNU to the 2013 NCCAA Championship.
 
"These seniors came in as freshmen during my second year as an assistant coach so we created a really unique bond that the assistant coach gets to have with the players," explained Scott. "Then as my role transitioned to head coach it is really cool that these seniors and myself have been able to keep that bond. This is a real special class. These six women are amazing people and we are all ready to keep the season going as long as possible."