Cal Lutheran Experiences First NCAA Playoff Victory : Volleyball: Young Regals defeat Occidental in five games in West Regional at San Diego.

SAN DIEGO — If the players on the Cal Lutheran women’s volleyball team were nervous, it was understandable.

They were playing in an NCAA Division III West Regional for the first time and there isn’t a senior on the team.

However, the Regals overcame early jitters to defeat Occidental, 5-15, 15-9, 14-16, 15-9, 15-9, in a first-round match Friday night at UC San Diego.

Cal Lutheran (20-8) plays tonight against the the winner of Friday’s late match between second-ranked UC San Diego and Chapman.

As the score reflects, things didn’t start well for the Regals.

“The nerves were there,” Cal Lutheran Coach James Park said. “Oxy had been in the tournament (the past three years) and there was a difference.”

Trailing, 4-0, in the second game, the Regals finally began to click.

Junior captain Darcy White epitomized the team’s turnaround.

White, who had no kills in the first game, had eight in the fourth game and five in the fifth, including match point. She finished with a team high 20.

Freshman setter Liz Martinez had 42 assists.

During Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play, the Regals split two matches with the Tigers (20-6), both of which also lasted five games.