Danbury, CT - The reigning Skyline Conference champions returned to the court and looked just like they did last season - a winner. 

The University of Mount Saint Vincent's women's volleyball team opened their 2024-25 season on Wednesday evening in a road showdown with Western Connecticut State University. The Dolphins jumped out to an early double digit lead and did enough to stay on top at the final buzzer, winning by the score of 58-55. 

The new-look Dolphins received a boost from two of their newest talents in Erin Smith and Gretta Baker. The duo both earned starts for head coach Maria Nardulli and rewarded the reigning conference Coach of the Year with strong efforts. 

Smith, a fifth-year guard who transferred to UMSV from Skyline rival Mount Saint Mary College, had a standout debut contest with her new team. The Goshen, New York native led all scorers with 17 points on five-of-12 shooting and also paced her team in both steals (four) and assists (three). The sophomore transfer guard also grabbed seven boards. Baker also finished in double figures with 13 points, knocking down two three pointers while also recording five rebounds of her own. 

Captains Kayla Hanley, Julia Angeles and JaKaia Lotz rounded out the starting unit and each had their championship pedigrees on full display. Hanley paced the offense with a team-high 35 minutes played, en route to a eight-point, three-assist performance. Angeles was an efficient three-of-five from the floor, including a streaking layup on a pass from Smith that tied the game at 49 apiece with just four minutes remaining. Lotz was a force on the boards, with her 14 rebounds good for a game-best mark. 

After jumping out to a double-digit lead at the break, the Wolves clawed back against UMSV over the course of the second half. The fourth quarter, however, saw the battle tested Dolphins show why exactly they were ranked number one in the preseason polls. Smith and Lotz had clutch points in the waning minutes before a big Hanley three pointer gave the team their final lead with two minutes left in regulation. 

UMSV will prepare for the next showdown taking place on Saturday when they travel to Rhode Island to take on Johnson & Wales University.