The Maritime College women's volleyball team came out firing against the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), but after coming up just short in the opening set, the Privateers couldn't bounce back and fell in straight sets 25-23, 25-8, 25-19. 

Senior middle blocker Meredith Hayes (Houston, Texas/St. Agnes Academy) was locked in from the start and was finding all the gaps in the Mariners defense as she racked up four kills and a solo block in the opening frame. After a Hayes kill to make it a one-point game at 12-13, sophomore setter Erika Kirchner (Meadowmere Park, N.Y./Lawrence) stepped up to the serving line and delivered two aces in a four-point serving run to give Maritime College the momentum swing and a 16-13 lead. USMMA answered right back with a run of its own, but a Hayes kill got the Privateers back on track and took a 21-17 lead late into the first set. However, the Mariners had the answer again and tied the match at 21 until freshman middle blocker Celyna Custodio () gave Maritime a 22-21 lead. Unfortunately, that was the final lead of the set for the Privateers as two kills from Kate Lefler in the final four points gave USMMA the win.

The momentum continued into the second set for USMMA as they jumped out to an 8-2 lead. Hayes tallied both points for the Privateers by utilizing her veteran savvy and tipping to the open spot. Hayes followed it up with back-to-back aces as she tried to will her team back into the set as they trailed 4-8. The growing student section of Maritime was in full force by this point and tried to keep the energy up for the team throughout the set. The Mariners offense was firing on all cylinders though and rolled to a 25-8 victory behind a .636 hitting percentage.

Hayes continued to lead the charge for the Privateers in the third set, picking up three kills in the first 12 points earned, but after landing awkwardly on a block attempt, the Houston, TX native was forced to leave the match. Without their best offensive weapon, the Privateers remained focus and battled point-for-point with USMMA, but they were unable to string together the points they needed and fell 25-19.

Hayes finished with nine kills on 14 attempts with only one error for an impressive .571 hitting percentage. Abby Steele (Crossville, Tenn./Stone Memorial) and Custodio each finished with three kills on the day, while Kirchner dished out 16 assists and tallied three service aces.

The Ninth Annual Maritime Classic continues tomorrow at 11 a.m. as the Privateers take on Maine Maritime, followed by two more matches at 1 and 3 p.m. Maritime College finishes up the Classic on Sunday at 1 p.m. against Massachusetts Maritime.