Seattle, Wash., Dec. 10, 2004 - The third-ranked Penn State women¡¯s volleyball team fell to UCLA in four games (24-30, 30-22, 25-30, 28-30) in the NCAA Regional Semifinal match in Seattle on Friday night. The Nittany Lions end their season with a 29-3 record while the Bruins improve to 21-10.

"UCLA¡¯s libero (Chrissie Zartman) played very well," said head coach Russ Rose. "We hit too many balls at her. I was disappointed more in our effort than the outcome. I would have liked us to have played harder, and I would have liked us to have played better. If we had played better and lost, then I would feel fine."

Freshman middle hitter Melissa Walbridge (Yardley, Pa.) tied her career high with 15 kills on .539 hitting while freshman Kate Price (Fraser, Mich.) posted 14 kills and sophomore Cassy Salyer (Aurora, Colo.) notched 12 kills. As a team, Penn State hit .189, only the fourth time this season that the Nittany Lions have been held to under a .200 hitting percentage. By comparison, UCLA attacked at a .249 clip, recording 76 kills to Penn State¡¯s 60.

Junior setter Sam Tortorello (Shorewood, Ill.) dished out 55 assist while junior libero Kaleena Walters (Mt. Lebanon, Pa.) recorded a team-high 19 digs. Tortorello chipped in 14 digs, senior defensive specialist Tabitha Eshleman (Greencastle, Pa.) notched 13 digs in her last collegiate match and senior Syndie Nadeau (St. Georges, Quebec) posted 12 digs. Penn State was outdug 87 to 68.

Penn State won the blocking battle, 15.0 to 12.0, led by Salyer with 10 stuffs including three solo blocks. Tortorello posted five blocks while Price added a career-high four blocks in the outing. Price also led the Lions with three aces.

UCLA was led by Nancy Barba and Nancy Meriwether with 16 kills each as Brittany Ringel notched 14 and Brynn Murphy posted 12. Krystal McFarland directed the Bruin offense with 61 assists and Chrissie Zartman posted a match-high 25 digs. Meriwether recorded a team-high seven blocks.

For more information on the Penn State women¡¯s volleyball team, please visit www.GoPSUsports.com.