THROGGS NECK, N.Y. – The Maritime dinghy sailing team took part in a pair of events this weekend as the Privateers finished sixth of eight teams at the MAISA Match Race Qualifier hosted by the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. In addition, the team also returned to women's competition for the first time in almost five years and took 17th place of 17 teams at Old Dominion.
 
At the Match Race Qualifier, the Privateers took to four-person sonar boats and finished in sixth position. Maritime finished ahead of George Washington and Webb Institute.
 
Hobart/William Smith faced off with Fordham in the semifinals and went 2-0, while Georgetown knocked off Merchant Marine 2-0 in the second semifinal. Due to the sunset on Sunday, Hobart/William Smith's round robin victory over Georgetown gave the Statesmen the title.
 
Sophomore Kyle Comerford (Annapolis, Md/Annapolis) skippered the boat for the Privateers with classmates John Lawless (Rochester, N.Y./McQuaid Jesuit), and Skye Miller (Congers, N.Y./Clarkstown North) along with senior A.J. Libby (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park).
 
Meanwhile, in Norfolk, Virginia the Privateers competed in its first women's event since November of 2011, when the team hosted the Women's Atlantic Coast Championship that season.
 
Skippering for the Privateers in Division A was junior Maura King (Bayport, N.Y./St. John the Baptist), who teamed up with freshman Macy Blakeley (Falls Church, Va./George C. Marshall) aboard FJ boats. A pair of freshmen was featured in Division B as Maura Neely (Towson, Md./Maryvale Prep) skippered with Morgan Forde (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Yorktown) serving as crew.
 
The entirety of the day on Saturday was cancelled due to high winds in the Norfolk area, forcing each division to complete six races each on Sunday. Division A finished with 94 points, while Division B tallied 99 points for a team score of 193 for the weekend.
 
The highlight of Sunday for King and Blakeley came in their final race of the day when the pair climbed to 13th position in the field, the pair also had a 14th place finish in their second race of the weekend. Neely and Forde picked up three 16th place finishes to go along with three 17th place finishes.
 
The Privateers finished just five points behind Maryland, as the Terrapins finished with 188 points. St. Mary's (Md.) finished in first place, with Georgetown close behind in second. Hobart/William Smith, UPenn, and Navy rounded out the top-five.
 
Following the pair of events for the Privateers this weekend, Maritime will compete in the always important War Memorial this coming weekend on October 29 and 30. The event will be hosted by St. Mary's (Md.).