FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – Let's dance! For the second time in program history, the Manhattanville College women's volleyball team is in the NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Championship. After claiming their second Skyline Conference Championship since 2019, the Valiants will begin what they hope will be a long weekend in Virginia in the Fredericksburg Regional later today, taking on the Stevens Institute of Technology in the opening round matchup.
  How We Got Here
The Valiants earned an automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament as a result of their Skyline Conference Championship win on Saturday, defeating Merchant Marine 3-0 to carry a 24-6 mark into the tournament. The 24 victories matches the highest single-season total by the Valiants since 1986's 30 win campaign. The last time Manhattanville won 24 matches was the last time they made the big dance in 2019, where they were defeated by Johns Hopkins in three sets in a first-round matchup.

In the title bout against USMMA, the Valiant offense was piloted by Ayla Ruiz (Honolulu, Hawaii/St. Andrew's Schools) and her season-best 20 kills. Vianca Vital (Carolina, Puerto Rico/Perpetuo Socorro) was selected as the tournament's Most Outstanding Player after yet another stellar display as setter, accounting for 36 of the team's 40 assists in the win. The senior would also tie Alejandra Figueroa (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico/Colegio Rosa-Bell) as the leading diggers in the contest with 12.

Figueroa and Vital enter the tournament with some new accolades after being named to the Skyline All-Conference First Team on Wednesday. They are joined on the First Team by Grace Ballagas (Carolina, Puerto Rico/Robinson School), while Loren Hernandez (Toa Baja, Puerto Rico/American Military Academy) was voted conference Rookie of the Year.

On the other side of the court meeting the Valiants will be the Stevens Ducks. Stevens will be making their 13^th NCAA appearance in program history on Thursday and the fifth in the last six seasons. The Ducks punched their ticket after claiming a third-consecutive MAC Freedom championship, defeating Arcadia 3-1. Stevens received leading performances out of Cleo Shannon (13 kills), Enkhsanaa Enkhbayar (26 assists), and Bailey Axelrad (27 digs) in their championship victory.

Last Time Out
We don't have to look too far back to see the last meeting between the two teams as the Ducks made their way to Purchase back in September. In a tightly contested affair, Stevens emerged victorious, 3-1. The Ducks took set one 25-21 before the Valiants evened the match after taking the second frame, 25-19. Stevens won the next two frames by scores of 25-21 and 25-23.

The Valiants were led offensively in the match by Felicity Hoffert's (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown East) 15 kills, while Figueroa recorded 12. Vital had 32 assists in the September meeting, while Ballagas' 27 digs paced the team. Perhaps the X-factor in Thursday's match will be Ruiz, who sustained an injury in the initial meeting with the Ducks. Since returning to the court in mid-October, the sophomore has been amongst Manhattanville's most pivotal playmakers.

For Stevens, the Valiants saw much of the trio that led the Ducks in their MAC Freedom title match. Shannon's 16 kills lead all attackers, while Axelrad had a team-high 26 digs and Enkhbayar was joined by Gabbi Roberts with 13 assists.

Despite Thursday being the second meeting between the two teams in less than two months, the Valiants and Ducks had not previously seen each other in 20 seasons. Prior to the Sept. 23 matchup, the last contest between Manhattanville and Stevens was in October of 2002.

Team Leaders
Manhattanville

• Kills Per Set: Ruiz (3.33), Figueroa (3.21), Hernandez (2.43)
• Assists Per Set: Vital (9.79), Ballagas (1.09), Premoli (0.82)
• Digs Per Set: Ballagas (4.58), Vital (3.42), Figueroa (2.68)
• Service Aces: Vital (55), Figueroa (43), PRemoli (41)
• Blocks: Morales (36.0), Hoffert (26.0), Wildes (22.0)

Stevens

• Kills Per Set: Shannon (2.49), Patterson (2.49), Maggio (1.94)
• Assists Per Set: Enkhbayar (4.70), Riegner (4.45), Roberts (3.60)
• Digs Per Set: Axelrad (5.12), Patterson (3.08), Sappia (1.97)
• Service Aces: Axelrad (41), Enkhbayar (38), Riegner (38)
• Blocks: Dion (113.0), Smithing (72.0), Lisboa (57.0)

History

• All-Time Record vs Stevens: 3-2
• Streak: Manhattanville L1
• Series Record on Neutral Court: 1-0
• Previous Meetings:
  • 9/23/2022: Stevens 3, Manhattanville 1
  • 10/2/2002: Stevens 3, Manhattanville 2
  • 10/20/2001: Manhattanville 3, Stevens 0 (Neutral Site)
  • 10/4/2001: Manhattanville 3, Stevens 1
  • 9/27/2000: Stevens 0, Manhattanville 3

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