Riverdale, NY - For the first time in program history, the College of Mount Saint Vincent's women's soccer team is NCAA Tournament bound. And with the selection show in the rearview mirror, the Dolphins now know their first round opponent: the 14th ranked Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Their place in the Division-III National Championship bracket comes off the heels of a 1-0 victory in the Skyline Conference Championship game over the United States Merchant Marine Academy on Marillac Field. 

This current surge couldn't come at a better time for a Dolphins team that is young, yet already battle tested. 

That starts at the top with junior midfielder Alicia Rodriguez. The Easton, Pennsylvania native has become a leader both on and off the field for CMSV. It's all but a formality that she'll receive All-Conference honors for the third consecutive season, one where she tallied 11 goals and 11 assists - good for 33 total points - across 20 starts.

Caitlyn Thompson, meanwhile, was one of the faces of the freshmen class that boosted the program to title contention. The first-year Dolphin starred throughout the entire season, leading her team in both goals (15) and points (37), including recording four goals and an assist across three playoff games.

Sophomore Victoria Gamarra - who was named the Skyline Conference Tournament's Most Outstanding Player - ran the conference's top ranked offensive attack in the middle while classmate Dana DeDominicis' shift from defense to forward added a speed element to the front line that helped take the team to the next level. Freshmen Eva Puentes and Brittany Boyle played major roles on a unit that scored 63 total goals in 21 games.

For as good as the offense was, the defense was equally as dominant. Goalkeeper Javiera Sanchez had one of the most impressive seasons in recent memory after being named the full-time starter mid-season. The sophomore out of Fredericksburg, Virginia allowed just one goal in her 10 starts, including shutouts in all three playoff rounds. Her 0.11 goals against average (minimum 10 starts) registers as the lowest mark in program history. 

A huge reason behind Sanchez's success was the defense in front of her. Arianna Morales returned to Riverdale for her second season and played a pivotal role in the middle of the field for CMSV. Freshmen Gisselle Soria, Lily Ostiguy and Kari Horos helped form a formidable back line that allowed just 14 shots on goal in all three playoff rounds while Cameron Cruz, Maddie Halford and Taylor Gabat aided in the team's efforts throughout the 2023 slate. 

The tall task of facing off against MIT won't come easy, as the Engineers were winners in 19 of 23 of their games with one of the tougher schedules in the region. Like CMSV, MIT found success at both ends of the field during their run to a NEWMAC crown, combining to beat Clark University, Springfield College and Babson College by the score of 17-1. 

The Dolphins will embark on their journey up north on Friday morning, with their NCAA Tournament debut taking place 24 hours later. Stay tuned to CMSVAthletics.com for all the information pertaining to CMSV soccer's latest adventure.