WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Susquehanna University women's volleyball team has endured a challenging 2023 season, filled with competition against regionally and nationally ranked foes from across the country. With mainly a young squad, the River Hawks gelled as the year went along, culminating in clinching the number-five seed for the Landmark Conference Tournament, where they'll open at fourth-seeded Catholic Tuesday at 7 p.m.

The winner will face off against the top seed in defending national champion and number-one ranked Juniata on Thursday in the league semifinals, with the championship match set for Saturday.

Head coach Kuuipo Tom's team possesses a 9-20 overall record and 5-4 in Landmark play. Entering the last weekend of league action needing to take both matches to clinch a tournament spot, the River Hawks went to work with a breezy 3-0 win at Wilkes in a Friday-night battle, then swept Moravian the following day, including overcoming a 22-16 third-set deficit to take a 25-23 victory.

Susquehanna's travels took them throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwest for some ranked competition to prepare them for the perennial Landmark foe in Juniata. These stops included Washington and Lee, Ithaca, Tufts, Wesleyan, Calvin, and most recently Stevenson and Mary Washington. In the matchup at Stevenson Friday, Susquehanna played the Mustangs to a marathon five-setter, including extended sets in the second and fourth frame. While the River Hawks were on the short end of the affair, they delivered impressive numbers, including 45 assists for setter Keira Roach, who ranks seventh in the Landmark this season with 5.05 assists per set and leads the tea  with 34 service aces.

Junior Emily Kowalski ranks sixth in the Landmark with 3.03 kills per set, 242 in total, and eighth with 3.36 points per set, 269 in all. Amanda Gore is seventh with a .290 hitting percentage and tenth with a .062 blocks pet set and 57 total. What has set SU apart also this season is its 2023 recruiting class, including Valerie Stoltz who ranks tenth with 3.26 digs per set and 316 in total. Fellow first-year Sami Kline is second on the team with 168 total kills and is tied with Stoltz for most sets played with 97. Delaney McCoy is second to Roach with 209 assists, while Stella Robinson, Emma Tsaknakis, and Callie Wince have seen significant playing time as the season has gone on.