THROGGS NECK, N.Y. – The Maritime volleyball team closed out Homecoming Weekend on the Maritime College campus on Sunday afternoon with a Skyline Conference tri-match with the Old Westbury Panthers and St. Joseph's (LI) Golden Eagles inside Riesenberg Hall Gymnasium.
 
The Privateers won their match with the Panthers in four sets, taking the first two sets 25-16, and 25-23 before Old Westbury took the third 25-19. The Privateers bounced back to close out the match with Old Westbury in the fourth set by a 25-16 score. In the second match of the day the Privateers fell to the Golden Eagles in three sets, falling by the scores of 25-8, 25-18, 25-17.
 
Leading the day on offense was junior Meredith Hayes (Houston, Texas/St. Agnes Academy), who picked up 24 kills on the day in seven sets. Senior Shannon Brady (Bayport, N.Y./Bayport-Blue Point) added 19 kills, while freshman Abby Steele (Crossville, Tenn./Stone Memorial) added 11 kills on the afternoon. Rookie Erika Kirchner (Meadowmere Park, N.Y./Lawrence) had 50 assists on the afternoon, as the team had a combined 12 service aces behind five from Steele and four from Brady.
 
Defensively Brady had 31 kills on the day to lead the way, while freshman Abby Solomos (Mt. Sinai, N.Y./Mt. Sinai) and Steele were tied with 23 on the afternoon for second. Kirchner added 15 digs in the two matches. Hayes and junior Colleen Ireland (Hyde Park, N.Y./Mount Olive (N.J.)) ended the day with one block apiece in the split. For Hayes, it was the 100th block of her career.
 
Maritime vs. Old Westbury
Hayes led the way against the Panthers with 17 kills while Brady added 13 and Steele chipped in with eight to lead the offensive attack. Brady and Steele also led the way with four aces apiece, while Kirchner notched 35 of her 50 digs against the Panthers.
 
The match was even in the early-going of the opening set with the set tied at six, before Maritime rolled out six unanswered behind strong service from Steele, who collected one ace during the rally. Maritime continued to hold onto a comfortable lead and held a 22-16 edge before scoring three unanswered to close out the set.
 
The Privateers jumped out to a 9-3 lead in the second set behind service from both Kirchner and Brady, Hayes collected three kills during the early run while Brady and junior Isabella Kent (Narrowsburg, N.Y./Sullivan West) also picked up a kill along the way. Old Westbury threatened by shrinking the Privateer lead down to two at 15-13, but Maritime was able to score five of the next six points and eventually took the second set by a 25-23 score.
 
Maritime trailed Old Westbury after the early score was tied at four, as the Panthers scored the next three points. The Privateers were unable to cut back into the lead by the Panthers, as Old Westbury held off Maritime at 25-19 to force a fourth set.
 
In the fourth the Privateers got back in rhythm and opened the set with a 4-1 lead behind a pair of kills from Kent. The Panthers tied the set at 10 but Maritime scored six of the next eight points to open up a 16-12 advantage. A five-point run by Maritime put the set out of reach as Maritime was able to close out the match with a fourth-set score of 25-16.
 
Maritime vs. St. Joseph's (LI)
In the second match of the day Hayes led the Privateers once again with seven kills in the three-set loss, while Brady added six and Steele connected on three kills. Kirchner added 15 more assists, while the team combined for just three service aces against the Golden Eagles. Brady had 18 digs, while Steele added a dozen digs in the loss.
 
Coming off of a straight-set win over Old Westbury, the Golden Eagles stormed out to a 13-3 advantage. Maritime got back two more points, but St. Joseph's scored the next six points unanswered before closing out the opening set with ease at 25-8.
 
The Privateers got back in the match in the second set as the Golden Eagles were kept at bay in the early-going as St. Joseph's took just a 10-9 lead through the first 19 points. The Privateers fought back to tie the set at 15 but the Golden Eagles were close out the set on a 10-3 run to take a two-set lead.
 
The early part of the third set was also even at five, but the Golden Eagles used a five-point rally to take a 10-5 advantage. After an attacking error by St. Joseph's gave Maritime a point, the Golden Eagles scored six of the next seven points in the set to take a 16-7 lead. The Privateers made it close with five unanswered behind two kills from Hayes and one from Solomos, but it was not enough as the Golden Eagles won by a 25-17 score.
 
Maritime (10-12, 4-4 Skyline) will be back at home one final time this season on Tuesday evening, as the Privateers play host to non-conference New Rochelle for a 7 p.m. start from Riesenbeg Hall Gymnasium. Prior to the match, Maritime will be recognizing the four members of their senior class; Brady, along with seniors Gabrielle Kempski (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Hendrick Hudson), Ameera Khan (New City, N.Y./Paramus Catholic (N.J.)), and Rachel Rothstein (Setauket, N.Y./Ward Melville).
 
Old Westbury (10-11, 1-7 Skyline) is off until next Saturday, when the team hosts William Paterson and New Jersey City for a non-conference tri-match at the Clark Athletic Center.
 
St. Joseph's (LI) (8-12, 4-2 Skyline) hosts Buena Vista on Friday evening at 7 p.m. from the Danzi Athletic Center on Long Island.