NEW YORK, N.Y. – The Manhattanville College women's volleyball team concluded the regular season on Sunday morning, dropping both ends of a tri-match at NYU. With the pair of three set losses, the Valiants will head into the Skyline Conference Championship Tournament 18-11 overall.

Match One Recap: Manhattanville 0, No. 7 NYU 3 (9-25, 13-25, 23-25)
Taking on a nationally ranked opponent, the Valiants were unable to take a set against the Violets, who were slated No. 7 in the latest release of the AVCA/TARAFLEX Division III Poll.

Loren Hernandez (Toa Baja, Puerto Rico/American Military Academy) led the attack effort with 14 kills, followed by nine from Ayla Ruiz (Honolulu, Hawaii/St. Andrew's Schools) and three from Sofia Morales (Tolland, Conn./Tolland). Ruiz would notch both of the team's aces in the match.

Grace Ballagas (Carolina, Puerto Rico/Robinson School) logged 13 digs on the defensive side to lead the team. Vianca Vital (Carolina, Puerto Rico/Perpetuo Socorro) added eight while Kayla Jennings (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Lakeland) added four. Vital also led the team in assists with 23.

The loss snapped Manhattanville's nine-match win streak.

NYU used a four point run to go up 7-2 before quickly adding another five soon after to climb out to a 12-3 lead. The Valiants would be held to just one point while in control of the serve in the duration of the set. Camille Nazor brought an end to the opening frame with a kill for the Violets, putting NYU on the board with a 25-9 win.

The Violets would climb out to a 10-4 lead to begin set two. After the teams traded points, the Valiants went on their largest run of the early day, scoring four straight to pull back within two down 9-11. However, NYU regained separation with four straight points of their own as part of a larger 10-1 spurt that put the Valiants too far back to catch up. The Violets ultimately took the second set 25-13.

Despite falling in the third set, the Valiants had their best performance of the match in the final frame. Manhattanville opened with a 5-3 lead and would remain in front up to an 11-9 advantage. NYU would even the score up with two straight points as they teams matched each other up to a 13-13 stalemate. The Violets would deliver a big blow with five straight points, although the Valiants responded with the next four as the teams would once again meet with a tied score at 21-21. The Violets scored the next two points on a Valiant service error and a Manhattanville attack error, putting the home team up 23-21. While the teams traded points the rest of the set, the Valiants would fall just short, dropping the final 25-23.

Match Two Recap: Manhattanville 0, Scranton 3 (19-25, 29-31, 20-25)
While the Valiants were able to hang closer with the Royals than against the Violets, Manhattanville was bested in a three-setter to close out Sunday's action.

It was Hernandez, Vital and Ballagas once again leading their respective statistical categories. Hernandez led all attackers across both teams with 17 kills, with Ruiz adding ten. The sophomore Hernandez also logged a double-double by adding 11 digs. Vital notched 29 assists, collecting a double-double of her own with 12 digs, while Ballagas led the defensive performance with 20 total digs.

Scranton began the opening set on a 5-1 run, a deficit that the Valiants would be ultimately unable to completely make up. Manhattanville climbed back to within one point on three separate occasions, but every time the Valiants got back within striking distance, Scranton stepped on the gas to regain some breathing room. After Manhattanville made the score 14-15, the Royals scored three straight to firmly go in front. Scranton would close out the set with three straight points to take it 25-19.

The Valiants would have the upper hand through the start of set two, running out to a 9-3 lead. Manhattanville's lead held up until Scranton climbed back to even the score up at 15-15. The Royals would then go up with a 20-18 lead before the Valiants rattled off five straight. The teams traded the next two points to put Manhattanville on set point up 24-21, but Scranton scored the next four to reclaim a 25-24 lead and send the set to extras. A marathon back-and-forth frame finally came to an end after Scranton scored two straight points to win 31-29.

Running on fumes after the extended second set and the match prior, the Valiants surrendered the first five points to the Royals to begin the third set. Manhattanville was unsuccessful at making up all the ground, although did threaten at the end with a 5-1 run to cut the Royal lead down to 20-18. The squads traded points up to a 22-20 Scranton lead where the Royals scored the final three points of the match to complete the sweep.

Up Next
The Valiants now turn their focus to the Skyline Conference Championship Tournament as the team looks to repeat as conference champs. As the regular season champions, the Valiants hold the No. 1 seed and earn a first round bye. The team will next be in action on Thursday night to take on the winner of the No. 4 Farmingdale-No. 5 Sarah Lawrence match.

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