BRONXVILLE, N.Y. – The Maritime volleyball team was tripped up on the road in five sets to the Sarah Lawrence Gryphons at the Campbell Sports Center on Wednesday evening.
 
Despite the loss, the night was historic for Maritime senior Shannon Brady (Bayport, N.Y./Bayport-Blue Point), who set the career digs record with her nine digs on the night and now stands in sole possession of first place at 774 digs. Brady entered the evening just one away from tying the previous mark of 766 held by Carly Lombardo '17.
 
Maritime lost the opening set by a 23-25 score but emerged victorious in the next two, 25-12 and 29-27, to take a 2-1 set lead. The fourth set was close again as Maritime was looking to close out the match, but fell 22-25. The Gryphons closed out the match with a 15-11 win to score the conference win over the Privateers.
 
Brady was also the team leader in kills with 12, while classmate Gabrielle Kempski (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Hendrick Hudson) added 11 of her own. Junior Meredith Hayes (Houston, Texas/St. Agnes Academy) and freshman Abby Steele (Crossville, Tenn./Stone Memorial) both had nine kills on the night, while freshman Erika Kirchner (Meadowmere Park, N.Y./Lawrence) recorded another 37 assists in the loss.
 
Leading the way in terms of digs was Kempski, who had a double-double on the night with her 12 digs to go along with 11 kills. Freshman Abby Solomos (Mt. Sinai, N.Y./Mt. Sinai) had her third-highest dig total on the year with 10 on the night. Brady and Hayes split the team's lone block on the night, while Hayes, Kempski and Steele each had two aces apiece.
 
After the opening set was tied at four, the Privateers took a 9-5 lead behind a pair of kills from Kempski. The Gryphons wrestled the lead back from Maritime and took an 18-12 lead before three unanswered by the Privateers. Facing set point the Privateers rallied with five unanswered led by two kills from Steele, but the deficit was too much as Sarah Lawrence won the set 25-23.
 
The Privateers dominated the opening stages of the second set and took a quick 10-3 lead. Six unanswered points from the Privateers gave Maritime a 16-5 lead before going on to take the set with ease at 25-12 to even the match at one set apiece.
 
The third set saw Maritime go beyond 25 as the Privateers and Gryphons battled to take a 2-1 lead on the night. The teams exchanged lengthy rallies and eventually the set was tied at 23. Maritime was able to fight off defeat in the set on three occasions before scoring three unanswered on a kill from senior Rachel Rothstein (Setauket, N.Y./Ward Melville) and a pair of errors by Sarah Lawrence to give Maritime a 2-1 lead.
 
In the fourth set both teams exchanged lengthy runs and eventually Maritime tied the set at 22 after falling behind 22-16. However the Privateers ran out of steam late in the set and dropped the final three points as the Gryphons tied the match at two, forcing a fifth and deciding set.
 
The fifth set saw Maritime open with two points before Sarah Lawrence moved ahead 3-2. Maritime went back in front at 4-3 before Sarah Lawrence scored five of the next six points to switch sides with an 8-5 lead. Maritime got back within one at 8-7, but the Gryphons scored the next five to move within two points of the victory. The Privateers pulled within three at 14-11, but it was not enough as the Gryphons won on a service error by the Privateers.
 
Maritime (6-5, 1-1 Skyline) will resume conference play next Tuesday, when Maritime travels to Riverdale, N.Y. to take on Mount St. Vincent at 7 p.m. on the 26th of September.
 
Sarah Lawrence (4-5, 3-0 Skyline) will be in action at home again on Friday evening, when the team hosts King's (N.Y.) at 7 p.m. from the Campbell Sports Center.