Riverdale, NY - The University of Mount Saint Vincent's women's basketball team got one step closer to a home matchup to kick off the Skyline Conference playoffs when they defeated St. Joseph's University Long Island in Patchogue by the score of 67-61. The Dolphins received a morale boost from graduate student Kira Villegas, who scored her 1,000 career point with a three pointer from  beyond the arc in the third quarter, becoming the ninth player in program history to accomplish the achievement. 

UMSV now sits at 13-4 against the Skyline with three games remaining on their regular season schedule. 

Villegas - who finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds - may have been the driving force, but it was a total team effort behind the victory. Guard Amber Been lead UMSV scorers with 19 points to go along with eight boards, seven assists, five steals and a block to complete a terrific stat line while Kayla Hanley had 13 points of her own. 

Both teams would trade leads on six different occasions, with the Dolphins getting the better of the Golden Eagles throughout the final quarter. The team as a whole would shoot 55% from the floor over that span, good for 21 points. St. Joe's, meanwhile, would turn the ball over six times over that same timeframe. 

The Dolphins will next look to Manhattanville College to continue their ascension up the standings with the playoffs near.