FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – Seeing their lone action of the week in a meeting of the two last unbeaten teams in the conference, the Manhattanville University women's volleyball team earned a road win down on Long Island on Thursday night, defeating Farmingdale in five sets. The Valiants improve to 12-8 overall and grab sole possession of first place in the Skyline standings as the lone unbeaten team in conference play at 6-0.

A trio of double-doubles paced the Valiants in the marathon affair. Ayla Ruiz (Honolulu, Hawaii/St. Andrew's Schools) collected her third double-double of her senior campaign with a team-high 17 kills with 11 digs. Loren Hernandez (Toa Baja, Puerto Rico/American Military Academy) complimented Ruiz' effort with 13 kills and a squad-leading 39 digs for her 11^th double-double of the year, shattering her previous career-high of 25 for the defensive category.

Alana Rivera (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico/Colegio Marista de Guaynabo) rounded out the double-double frenzy with a 41 assist, 27 dig performance. The dig total marks a new personal best for Rivera, wile she supplied more than 40 assists for the third time this year.

Sofia Morales (Tolland, Conn./Tolland) matched Hernandez' kill total of 13 to finish tied for second on the night amongst the Valiants. Samantha Andriola (Garden City South, N.Y./Sacred Heart Academy) added six putaways along with 16 digs and a pair of aces.

Grace Ballagas (Carolina, Puerto Rico/Robinson School) provided 33 digs, trailing only Hernandez' effort on the night on the Manhattanville side. The senior libero also provided a team-high two aces in the affair.

With head coach Tyler Blank missing the match due to illness, reigns of the Valiant bench were handed to assistant coaches Brody Hoelperl and Jamie Calandro. It was Hoelperl's first time serving as acting head coach for Manhattanville in what would prove to be a memorable night to be manning the sidelines.

The Valiants struck first, using a three-point run generated by a Ruiz kill and pair of Ballagas aces go go up 4-2. Manhattanville preserved the lead up to a 12-6 advantage, with Morales' kill doubling up the rams. Farmingdale got the chance it needed following a Valiant attack error, scoring seven straight points to come storming back ahead, 13-12. The Valiants struggled to solve Samantha DiBiasi's serve as she accounted for five aces on the run. Hernandez put an end to the skid with a kill, the first of four-straight Valiant points that began a larger 7-1 Manhattanville run. The Rams were unable to fight out of the deficit this time, as a Ram attack error, Alyssa Bucci (Rye Brook, N.Y./Blind Brook High School) ace and Emily Brown (Kaneohe, Hawaii/Damien Memorial) kill closed out the 25-17 Valiant win in the opener.

A 3-0 run courtesy of kills by Hernandez and Morales and a Farmingdale attack miscue set the stage for a similar playout as the set prior. The early advantage had the Valiants in front, leading by as many as five at a 9-4 advantage. But the Rams came to life once again, eventually pulling things even at 16-16. Farmingdale could not capitalize on the new life breathed into the set, committing three straight attack errors to reestablish some breathing room for the Valiants. Manhattanville held the Rams runless for the remainder of the frame, taking the second set by a final of 25-20 off three straight kills by the trio of Morales, Andriola and Ruiz.

In danger of suffering its first conference loss of the season, Farmingdale opened up the third set with the first two points. The teams shared six different tied scored up to a 10-10 stalemate when the Valiants looked to finally start pulling away with a four-point run. The Rams, however, responded with eight straight points, prompting Manhattanville to take both timeouts to try and regroup as the team suddenly trailed 18-14. The Valiants were able to get back to within a pair, but the home team held firm to take the third set, 25-20.

Riding the momentum of the third set win, the Rams were able to send the match to a breaker set with another 25-20 set win in the fourth. The Valiants held an early three-point lead but Farmingdale continued to replicate the success in erasing deficits with five straight points to go up 10-8. The Valiants were never able to regain the lead, trailing by as much as six. An attack error brought an end to any comeback effort for the Valiants as the match went to a deciding fifth set.

In the only fitting conclusion to match of this nature, the fifth set came down to the wire. Back-to-back kills from Morales opened up play as Manhattanville jumped out to a 5-2 advantage. The Rams pulled even with three straight points of their own to pull even before Manhattanville scored three of the following four points to go up 8-6 to activate the side change. An attack error on the following volley gave the Valiants a set-high three point lead, but Farmingdale notched the next two to once again make it a one point game at 9-8. The teams traded the next 11 points back and forth, neither squad able to score while in control of the serve. The narrow advantage would be just enough for Manhattanville to escape Long Island with the win as one final Ram attack error brought an end to the night with a 15-13 deciding set win for the Vals.

Up Next
The Valiants return to play in six days, heading home to host Mount Saint Vincent for a 6 p.m. contest.

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