PURCHASE, N.Y. – The rivalry is renewed on Saturday in Purchase. For the fourth time in the last five seasons, the Manhattanville University women's volleyball team meets the United States Merchant Marine Academy in the Skyline Conference Championship Finals. The top two seeds in the tournament are on a collision course inside Kennedy Gymnasium, with the winner lifting the Skyline Championship trophy and earning a berth into the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
 
How We Got Here
The top two seeds defended their respective home courts on Thursday to advance to the finals, but it was far from easy for both sides. The Valiants played host to No. 5 Sarah Lawrence, who came off a five-set victory against fourth-seeded Farmingdale in the first round. The Gryphons took the opening set in Thursdays matchup to put Manhattanville in an early hole, but the Valiants rallied back to take the next three frames to return to the finals for a fifth-straight season. Skyline Player of the Year Loren Hernandez' (Toa Baja, Puerto Rico/American Military Academy) 23 kill, 12 dig double-double led the Valiants in the win, with Libero of the Year Grace Ballagas (Carolina, Puerto Rico/Robinson School) notching 27 digs and Alana Rivera (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico/Colegio Marista de Guaynabo) posting a 19 assist, 11 dig double-double of her own.

Down in Kings Point, the Mariners had their hands full versus third-seeded Saint Joseph's Long Island. The Golden Eagles knocked off USMMA in last year's semifinals in a five-set thriller, so it was only appropriate the two teams went the distance once again. After USMMA took the opening two sets fairly convincingly, 25-16, 25-14, Saint Joseph's came roaring back to take the next two 25-20, 27-25 to send the match to a fifth-set breaker. Leading 9-8, the Mariners put up five-unanswered points to get to the brink of victory, holding off a four-point run by the Golden Eagles to win 15-12. Sophia Murray's 26 dig, 15 kill effort paced USMMA, with Erin Stillinger providing 11 kills and Sydney Douglas digging 20 balls. Kylie Creech and Alexa Tipps each logged 22 assists for the Mariners.

Last Time Out
The teams met in Kings Point during the regular season on Oct. 3, a 3-1 victory by the Valiants (25-18, 23-25, 25-16, 25-20) for their fourth-straight win over the Mariners. However, it marked the first time Manhattanville dropped a set against a Skyline opponent since October 19, 2022, ending a stretch of 64-straight set wins against the conference.

Hernandez once again starred in the regular season meeting, posting 21 kills and 20 digs. Rivera notched a career-high 46 assists, while Ballagas dug 29 balls. For USMMA, Douglas finished with a team-leading nine kills, while Stephanie Schatzman had 34 digs and Creech logged 13 assists.

Tournament History
The Valiants and Mariners have consistently been amongst the top programs in the Skyline since Manhattanville returned to the conference in 2019. Since then, the Valiants have appeared in all five Skyline Conference Championship Finals, opposing USMMA in four of those matchups. Manhattanville took the 2019 Championship in five sets before the Mariners got revenge with a three set sweep in the 2021 finals. The Valiants then headed to Kings Point for the 2022 finals, sweeping the Mariners in the most-recent title matchup.

Team Leaders
Manhattanville

• Kills Per Set: Hernandez (4.02), Ruiz (3.20), Morales (1.74)
• Assists Per Set: Rivera (7.55), Andriola (3.80), Ballagas (1.10)
• Digs Per Set: Ballagas (5.42), Hernandez (3.02), Rivera (2.96)
• Service Aces: Ballagas (56), Hernandez (51), Jennings (45)
• Blocks: Morales (37), Brown (32), Wildes (26)

USMMA

• Kills Per Set: Murray (2.10), Douglas (2.08), Stillinger (1.96)
• Assists Per Set: Creech (5.19), Tipps (3.32), Schatzman (0.93)
• Digs Per Set: Schatzman (6.05), Douglas (3.00), Murray (2.46)
• Service Aces: Douglas (63), Mayer (53), Tipps (39)
• Blocks: Mayer (82), Dyke (67), Douglas (28)

History

• All-Time Record vs USMMA: 14-23
• Streak: Manhattanville W4
• Series Record at Manhattanville: 8-7
• Last Five Matchups (Home team listed second):
  • 10/3/24: Manhattanville 3, USMMA 1
  • 9/20/23: USMMA 0, Manhattanville 3
  • 11/5/22: Manhattanville 3, USMMA 0
  • 9/29/22: Manhattanville 3, USMMA 2
  • 11/6/21: Manhattanville 0, USMMA 3