BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – The University of New Haven women's volleyball team claimed the 13th NCAA Division II Region Championship in school history and its second in three years as the Chargers advanced to the NCAA Division II Volleyball Championship Quarterfinals with a 3-1 victory against the University of Bridgeport on Saturday evening at Hubbell Gymnasium.

New Haven earned the win by set scores of 25-22, 25-20, 14-25, 25-17. The Chargers improved to 24-8 with the win, while the Purple Knights season concludes with a 26-3 overall mark.

Senior Margo Meteyer (Madison, Wis./Madison West) led the Chargers with 10 kills, while adding 11 digs in her 13th double-double of the season. Kaulana Ane (Paia, Hawai'i/Kamehameha) also tallied a double-double with a team-high 37 assists and 12 digs. 

Once again featuring a well-balanced attack, New Haven had six different players with five-or-more tallies. Kristen Lee (Colorado Springs, Colo./Liberty) and Kristy Atufunwa (Denver, Colo./Denver East) each finished with nine kills, while Lee added 18 digs and Atufunwa four total blocks. Ashley Dalton (Helena, Mont./Capital / Northern Arizona University) registered seven kills and a match-high eight total blocks. Hayley Wilson (Denver, Colo./Overland) added six kills and Ane chipped in with five.

The New Haven backrow was anchored by Kea-Marie Olaso (Kailua, Hawai'i/Le Jardin Academy) with 22 digs. 

The teams matched each other with a .191 hitting percentage, while the Chargers held a 12-5 lead in total team blocks. Bridgeport surrendered 14 points to New Haven off service errors alone.

The two teams played evenly in the first set as neither team held more than a three-point lead the entire set. With the score tied at 18-18, New Haven notched three straight points on a pair of attack errors sandwiched around a kill by Dalton. The Chargers finished out the set by that same three point margin.

The second set proved key for the Chargers, who never gave the Purple Knights an opening. Leading 15-13, the Chargers got a kill from Wilson. Following an attack error and a service error by UB, a service ace by Ashley Gomez (El Paso, Texas/Ysleta) and a kill by Atufunwa gave the Blue and Gold a commanding 20-14 lead that Bridgeport was unable to overcome.

After a tough third set, the Chargers rallied in the fourth. A block by Dalton and Wilson at 6-6 gave New Haven a lead they would never relinquish. UNH eventually swelled the lead to 24-15 when Bridgeport fought off two match points before a service error gave New Haven the regional title.

Lee, Atufunwa, Olaso and Ane were named to the All-East Region Championship team.

The Chargers will now head to the Elite Eight in Louisville, Ky. as part of the NCAA Division II 2014 Fall National Championships Festival to take on the winner of the South Central Region which will be determined in Sunday's championship match between Arkansas-Fort Smith and No. 7 Colorado Mesa. The match will take place on Thursday, December 4 at 7:30 pm.