RIVERDALE, N.Y. – A thrilling three-set victory by the Sarah Lawrence College women's volleyball team ended a 21-year and 16-day drought against the College of Mount Saint Vincent on Monday evening the CMSV's Peter Jay Sharp Center.
 
SLC (11-12, 4-2 Skyline) used some key plays and a comeback in the third set to spark the 25-20, 25-18, 26-24 victory. The Gryphons last match win over the Dolphins was on Oct. 1, 2001, in a five-set exhilarating contest 30-21, 30-24, 28-30, 22-30, 17-15 inside the Campbell Sports Center.
 
The history-making victory also allowed SLC to overtake Mount Saint Mary for fifth place in the regular-season standings as only the top six teams make the postseason event with the top two earning byes and the third and fourth seeds hosting opening round contests.
 
The loss for CMSV (3-12, 2-6 Skyline) meant that its postseason dreams are now hanging by a thread and the Dolphins will need to win their final three matches and hope for some teams ahead of the to lose matches themselves.
 
Looking at the postgame statistics, one may say that both teams had sub-par hitting performances but what would be overlooked is the sheer outstanding play both teams put on display on the defensive side of the ball keeping many points alive that should have dropped to the Sharp Center floor.
 
Four players for SLC tallied double-digit dig performances led by Kallie Ferguson's 15, which was closely followed by Mia Rector with 14.
 
Skyler Kawecki-Muonio added 13 digs and Athena Kazos chipped in 10 of her own.
 
In addition to the 14-dig performance from Rector, she added 21 assists from her setter position for fifth double-double of the season and second in as many attempts.
 
Elizabeth Flores and Isbella Garcia added 25 digs each for the Dolphins.
 
Down 15-14 in the first set, SLC reeled off an 11-5 run to take the opening stanza 25-20 in front of the small, but boisterous crowd.
 
Neither team could take complete control of the other in the second set until the Gryphons scored six of the final nine points including Carolyn Kelly's masterfully paced over ball that was not brought up giving SLC the second stanza victory.
 
The Dolphins looked as if they were going to extend the match to a fourth set having built an 18-14 lead, but a CMSV service error, a service ace from SLC's Claire O'Rourke and two from Ferguson knotted the matchup at 18-18.
 
CMSV eventually took a 23-21 advantage over the Gryphons before a combination of four attack errors from the Dolphins and a service ace from Rector gave the third and final set to the visitors 26-24.
 
Ferguson led the attack game of the Gryphons with nine kills. SLC would hit at a .119 clip (28-15-118) while holding the Dolphins to just a .044 (35-29-136) hitting percentage.
 
The service game for SLC was led by Kawecki-Muonio who tallied four aces on the night to lead both teams.
 
NEXT UP
SLC returns to action inside the Campbell Sports Center on Wednesday, Oct. 19 when Farmingdale State comes to town. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.