Box Score Senior Courtney Birkett made Colorado College volleyball history on Friday night, but sixth-seeded California Lutheran University came away with a 25-17, 25-21, 25-21 victory in the first round of the 2015 NCAA Division III Volleyball Championship.

Birkett became the first player in program history to record more than 1,000 career kills, 1,000 career digs and 1,000 career assists on her 11th assist of the night. The setter/rightside hitter set freshman Myca Steffey-Bean kill with her first assist in the third set to post assist No. 1,000. Birkett completed her career with 1,129 kills, 1,053 digs and 1,007 assists.
 
The Regals hit a blistering .303 on their home court in Thousand Oaks, Calif., marking the first time this season an opponent hit better than .225 in a match against CC.
 
"Cal Lutheran was the best team we played all year," said head coach Rick Swan. "Typically this year when we lost a set, we beat ourselves. Tonight we got beat by a better team. They played a great match."
 
Colorado College finished the season with a 34-4 record and made its18th consecutive appearance in the NCAA tournament. The Tigers set a program record with an .894 winning percentage.

CC held a 20-18 lead late in the third set, but by a kill by CLU's Sarah Pappas sparked a 6-0 run that give her team a 24-20 lead. A kill by Steffey-Bean cut the lead to 24-21, but the Regals sealed the win with a kill from Jamie Smith.
 
Birkett led the offense with 18 assists on the night, while Steffey-Bean led the attack with nine kills.
 
Senior Sophie Merrifield, who finished her career with a school record 2,498 career digs, anchored the backrow with eight digs. Sophomore Sarah Barker picked up eight digs and added 12 assists.
 
The Regals (26-5) were led by Eason with 13 kills. Michelle Lawrence and Pappas also recorded double-digit kills with 10 kills apiece for Cal Lutheran.
 
Cal Lutheran faces the University of Texas-Dallas in the regional semifinal on Saturday at 5 p.m. PT.