BRONXVILLE, N.Y. — The Sarah Lawrence College women's volleyball team made program history Wednesday, October 21, earning its 20th victory of the season, setting a new program record for single-season wins and securing its first-ever victory over the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. The Gryphons rallied from a 2-1 deficit to defeat the Mariners, 3-2, at the Campbell Sports Center by scores of 17-25, 25-14, 15-25, 25-19 and 15-12.
With the historic victory, Sarah Lawrence improved to 20-2 overall and 6-0 in Skyline Conference play, becoming the conference's last remaining undefeated team. The Gryphons entered the matchup ranked No. 3 in Region III, while Merchant Marine was ranked No. 7.
Caroline Combs led the Gryphons' attack with a match-high 21 kills, while Nikolet Vataj recorded her 11th double-double of the season, finishing with 16 kills and a team-high 12 digs. Sophia Costa orchestrated the offense with 40 assists, while Charlotte Siemsen and Charlee Leonard delivered season-high performances at the net. Siemsen recorded a season-best seven blocks, while Leonard added a season-high five blocks to go along with six kills.
Merchant Marine claimed the opening set, 25-17, but Sarah Lawrence responded emphatically in the second. The Gryphons held the Mariners to seven kills and forced 10 attack errors to even the match with a commanding 25-14 victory.
The Mariners regained the advantage with a 25-15 win in the third set, putting Sarah Lawrence in a must-win situation. The Gryphons answered with a strong offensive performance in the fourth, recording 16 kills while hitting .353 as a team. Combs and her teammates found their rhythm to secure a 25-19 win and force a decisive fifth set.
In the final frame, Sarah Lawrence delivered under pressure, recording 12 kills while committing just one attack error and hitting .379. The Gryphons closed out the 15-12 victory to complete the comeback, earn their first win in program history against Merchant Marine and establish a new single-season wins record.
Defensively, the Gryphons finished with 10 total blocks compared to Merchant Marine's two. Siemsen's seven blocks and Leonard's five-block performance helped Sarah Lawrence establish a strong presence at the net, while Vataj and Kai Perkins each contributed 12 digs to bolster the back-row defense.
The milestone victory adds another landmark achievement to Sarah Lawrence's historic season. With a program-record 20 wins, its first-ever victory over Merchant Marine and an unbeaten 6-0 mark in Skyline Conference play, the No. 3-ranked Gryphons continue to build momentum as the 2026 campaign progresses.
Sarah Lawrence returns to action Friday, October 23, traveling to face St. Joseph's University Long Island in another Skyline Conference matchup. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.
