KINGS POINT, N.Y. – The quest for a repeat Skyline Conference Championship came up short for the Manhattanville College volleyball team, as the Valiants were defeated by the United States Merchant Marine Academy in three sets in Saturday night's championship finals match. With the loss (22-25, 19-25, 19-25), the Valiants will end the season with an overall record of 18-7.

Alejandra Figueroa (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico/Colegio Rosa-Bell) led the team with 12 kills in the effort, ending her senior campaign with 214. Ayla Ruiz (Honolulu, HI/St Andrews Schools) ended the night with eight, as she ends her stellar rookie season with 202 kills. Figueroa also led the team's defensive effort with 14 digs en route to her fourth double-double of the season. Vianca Vital (Carolina, Puerto Rico/Perpetuo Socorro) was the team leader in assists once again with 32. She will end her junior season with 677 assists, the seventh most in a single season by a Valiant. Vital had set the single-season record in 2019 with 934.

A 4-1 run by the Mariners to open up the first set had the Valiants playing catchup for most of the frame. Every time Manhattanville got to within striking distance, the top-seeded USMMA team fired off a response to regain some separation. With the Mariners ahead 18-16, the Valiants were finally able to jump in front with a four-point run, their longest of the set. USMMA, however, would score seven of the next nine points to retake the lead and win the opener.

USMMA was effective in cutting down the Valiants' offensive looks in the second set, as Manhattanville could only muster four points while in control of the serve. Two of those points game in the first two plays of the frame before the Mariners scored four unanswered and would never trail again. Manhattanville was able to tie the score twice more, but without being able to get a sustained run going, USMMA was able to continue extending their lead to take the second set.

Facing elimination and the end of their season, the Valiants attack came out strong for the third set. Manhattanville opened on a 3-1 run and after playing to four separate tied scores, the Crimson and White would score five straight points to go ahead 10-6. The lead would stay with the Valiants for most of the set, but the Mariners were able to hang around close enough that one crucial run swung momentum firmly back on their side. After USMMA fought back to a 17-17 score, a kill by Figueroa gave the Valiants back the lead and the serve. Paige Smith immediately won the serve back for the Mariners with a kill of her own before serving four-straight USMMA points, two of which were aces. The 22-18 lead was enough for the Mariners to close out the night and claim the title.

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