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SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — The 2009 Dominican University of California women's volleyball team notched the program's first-ever Pacific West Conference victory in thrilling fashion, a 3-0 victory over Academy of Art University on Friday night.

It looked to be a tough road against the Urban Knights (17-12/4-8) when AAU jumped out to an early 11-2 lead but the Lady Penguins (5-20/1-11) settled down after four strong services, including two aces, by Tianna Tuatagaloa put Dominican at striking distance 11-7. Dominican caught up at point 14 off the Gabby Pecora. Two kills from Tuatagaloa got Dominican in front at 15-14 and 16-15. The Lady Penguins used a 7-1 run to surge to the set one win 25-21.

Both teams struggled early in set two, exchanging points until point 8. Cayla Morphew put down a kill to make it 9-8 and a few plays later Brooke Swingle's dump pushed the lead to 11-8. It was Morphew again with the kill to extend the Dominican lead to 13-8. Lorel Grande finished the four-point run with a kill. Kills by Pecora and Tuatagaloa extended the Dominican lead to 20-13 and kills from Morphew and Lorel Grande got the Lady Penguins to set point. An AAU attack error gave Dominican the set 25-16.

Set three saw both teams exchange points back and forth again until a pair of Grande aces got Dominican to a 14-8 lead. A pair of kills by Ashlee Sand pushed the lead to 16-11 and Dominican didn't let up, capping the 10-4 run with a Grande kill for the 25-15 Dominican set win and the match.

Dominican libero LaShelle Rullan was one of three Dominican players with double-digit digs and led all players with 12.

Pecora led all players with 12 kills for the Lady Penguins. Grande, Morphew, and Tuatagaloa each added eight kills apiece in the victory.

Swingle found her teammates 33 times as Dominican put down 42 kills to just 20 by AAU.

Amy Bush led the Urban Knights with six kills. PacWest Preseason All-Conference member Dan Yang was limited to five kills for AAU.

The Dominican women host UC Santa Cruz on Nov. 3 in non-conference action. Match time is set for 7:00 p.m. at the Conlan Center. The game will be broadcast live online at http://radio.dominican.edu.