NEWBURGH, N.Y. – In a pivotal Skyline Conference match, the Mount Saint Mary College women's volleyball team defeated the Polytechnic Institute of NYU in five sets (30-28, 31-29, 18-25, 23-25, 15-8) on Tuesday evening in the Kaplan Center. The Knights (7-7) remain unbeaten in conference place at 4-0, while the Fighting Blue Jays (9-8) dropped to 2-1.

During a very tight first set, Mount Saint Mary won a point on serve to seize a 23-22 advantage. From there, twelve consecutive side-outs saw the set move to 29-28. Finally, with sophomore Lauren Halverson (Patchogue, N.Y.) serving, the Mount capitalized on a set point and took the opener, 30-28.

NYU-Poly jumped out to a big lead in set two and seemed ready to run away to a victory with the score at 15-6. Mount sophomore Mary Ann Raftery (Atlantic Beach, N.Y.) served five consecutive points, however, bringing the Knights back to within three. Then, trailing 24-19 and facing set point, senior Elizabeth Douress (Rahway, N.J.) rattled off five consecutive points, the last of which was an ace that clipped the back line. Now tied at 24-24, the teams went back and forth several times before Halverson stepped up to serve two consecutive points and give the Knights a 31-29 victory.

The Fighting Blue Jays weren't ready to be done just yet, though, and stormed back into the match by taking the next two sets. In the deciding set, the Knights jumped out to a 5-0 lead and forced the switch of ends with the score 8-1. NYU-Poly brought the set back to 9-5, but would get no closer as the Knights put away the match with a 15-8 set win.

Junior Courtney Kenney (Hicksville, N.Y.) led the way for the Mount with 13 kills, five blocks, and 17 digs. Freshman Kaylene Pennings (Minisink, N.Y.) recorded 12 kills and a team-high 6 blocks, while junior Jacqueline Nadeau (Uniondale, N.Y.) pitched in with 12 kills and 14 digs. Halverson finished with 46 assists and 10 digs, Douress collected 10 kills and three blocks, and junior Heather Schaeffer (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) racked up a team-high 18 digs. Raftery played well (eight kills, seven digs) after replacing injured junior Teresa Sorrentino (Bellerose, N.Y.) late in the second set.

The first-place Knights will head to the Salem State Invitational this weekend to take on Salem State, Southern Maine, and Suffolk. The tournament is scheduled for a 10:00 a.m. start.