Newburgh, NY - The University of Mount Saint Vincent's dream season continued on Tuesday evening. On the heels of the team's improbable 17-point comeback win over Farmingdale in the opening round of the Skyline Conference Championship Tournament, the Dolphins traveled to Newburgh and upset #2 ranked Mount Saint Mary by the score of 72-62 to cement their place in the championship game against Manhattanville College. The Dolphins dropped both games to the Knights during the regular season, but gritty team defense and a second half offensive surge combined to be the catalyst behind the victory. 

This is the first time UMSV's women's basketball program has reached the Skyline Conference final since the 2014-15 season. 

It was as even a matchup as you'll see between two playoff teams, but the Knights held the edge early on. Despite exiting the first quarter down four points, the Dolphins did their best to go step for step with Mount Saint Mary. Graduate student Kira Villegas especially shined offensively, as she scored UMSV's first nine points of the game, all but four that the team scored in the first 10 minutes of action. The Dolphins were able to keep it a one possession game in the second half, thanks in large part to Anastasia Davis. The sophomore guard not only played tough defense but also cut the score to two points when she knocked down a three pointer. Just one possession later, sophomore JaKaia Lotz tied things up with a layup at the 1:04 mark. Lotz scored once again with seconds on the clock, making it a 28-28 game at the break. 

The second half is where the Dolphins found their groove, one that eventually propelled them to victory. 

UMSV spread their offense all over the floor, as six different Dolphins scored in the third quarter. Davis, Lotz and Ariella Johnson scored in consecutive possessions to push their team's lead to eight points, the highest up until that point. The team also saw success on the other end of the floor, with Villegas, Davis, Johnson, Amber Been and Kayla Hanley excelling both on-and-off the ball, while Julia Angeles and Melanieann Broderick came off the bench and kept the defensive intensity up as well. 

The fourth quarter was all but a formality. UMSV saw their lead balloon to double digits, as Villegas, Johnson and Been found their way into the paint at-will, as the trio combined for 19 of the team's 27 points over the final 10 minutes. Johnson specifically excelled, as the transfer junior scored the first eight points of the quarter. The trio of Villegas, Been and Kayla Hanley would knock down nine of the last 13 points to ice the game. 

Villegas capped off the game as the team's leading scorer with 18 points on 50% shooting while adding five boards, a steal and a block. Johnson impressed with 14 points and a pair of assists while Been added 10 points, 12 rebounds, six steals and two assists, once again stuffing the stat sheet and looking like the All-Conference Player she was in 2022 and 2023. Lotz finished in double figures as well with 10 points of her own, with Davis completing her game with nine points and six boards. 

The stage is set for the championship contest. The Dolphins and Valiants will go toe-to-toe this Saturday at 2 PM in Purchase.