RADNOR, PA – The Cabrini volleyball team returned to the top of the conference today, as the Cavaliers scored a 3-1 (25-22, 25-23, 21-25, 25-21) win over Marymount to win the 2021 Atlantic East championship in Nerney Field House.

The team's fifth consecutive victory marked the Blue and White's ninth conference championship and first since 2017.

By virtue of today's win, the Cavaliers earned the league's automatic bid into this week's NCAA Tournament. The team will learn its fate on Monday at 12:30pm, when the Division III Selection Show is broadcast on NCAA.com.

Senior Hannah Dalton was named Championship Most Valuable Player after pairing 15 kills and 17 digs for her 17^th double-double of the season.

Freshman Makenzie Griffith added a career high 12 digs, while junior Allison Clarke and freshman Sam Heenan added seven kills each.

Senior Lexi Conte recorded a career best 30 assists, while classmate Gina Custer notched 19 digs.

Both sides played back and forth in the early minutes of the first set, but the Cavaliers used a 10-2 run to build a 14-8 lead. The Saints rallied back, using an 8-1 spurt of their own to take a 19-18 lead.

Trailing 21-20, the Blue and White regained control of the action. Back to back Marymount miscues and a pair of Dalton kills put Cabrini ahead 24-21 before a Saints service error gave the home team the first set 25-22.

The Cavaliers led 13-9 midway through the second frame, but the visitors used a 8-1 to take a 17-14 lead. The Blue and White responded with a 6-1 run of its own to regain the lead at 21-19 on a kill by sophomore Melanie Cotes-Rivera.

Both teams alternated points, before Conte found Clarke for a kill to take the second set 25-23 and a commanding two sets to none lead.

The third set played out much like the first two, with the lead swinging back and forth. The final of the 10 ties in the third set came at 20-20 after a Heenan kill. The Saints responded with three consecutive points, building a late three point cushion. A Griffith kill briefly swung the energy back to Cabrini's bench, but the Saints claimed the final two points, staying alive with a 25-21 win in the third set.

The Blue and White brushed off the third set loss and took control of the fourth frame, building an 18-8 lead. The Saints, however, would not go away. The visitors clawed back into the match, pulling to within 23-17 before a 4-0 spurt cut the Cabrini lead to just 23-21.

A Dalton kill stemmed the Saints' run and gave the Cavaliers championship point. The Blue and white didn't waste it, as a Heenan serve resulted in a Marymount attack error, sealing the title for the Blue and White.