10/28/2005 - (Riverdale, NY) – For Mount Saint Vincent seniors Jacqui Dauphinais (North Yarmouth, MA/Dennis-Yarmouth Regional HS) and Monique Lopez (Bronx, NY/Aquinas HS), there was simply no other way to end their volleyball careers. As freshmen and sophomores, the duo helped lead two of the best teams in Mount Saint Vincent history as the Dolphins swept through the Hudson Valley Women’s Athletic (HVWAC) schedule and helped the team earn their fourth and fifth straight HVWAC Titles.

A year ago, however, the landscape changed as the HVWAC torch was passed when Mount struggled to a 9-11 record, and fell in the Conference Final Four to eventual champion, St. Joseph’s (Brooklyn). Losing only one senior to graduation, Dauphinais, Lopez, and the rest of the team set out to turn things around in 2005.

Mission accomplished. With a forfeit win over St. Joseph’s Thursday night, the Mount clinched the HVWAC Regular Season Championship with a perfect 8-0 record. The Dolphins were dominant in Conference play this season, dropping only three games during eight Conference matches.

With the win, the Mount clinched the top seed for next week’s HVWAC Tournament, and will host the winner of the match between Medgar Evers and New Rochelle on Friday, Nov. 4 at 7:00 p.m. A win on Friday night will send the Dolphins to the Conference Final Four next Saturday at Sarah Lawrence. Mount Saint Vincent finished the regular season with a 12-18 overall record.