NEWARK, NJ – The Maritime College women's volleyball team concluded its 2021 season with a matchup at Rutgers-Newark on Saturday.  Despite 11 kills and nine digs from Jessica Mele (Southold, NY), the Privateers (5-16) fell to the Scarlet Raiders (6-15) by a 25-15, 25-15, 25-17 count at the Golden Dome.

Mele had nearly half of Maritime's 24 total kills in the match.  Celyna Custodio (Danbury, CT) contributed eight kills, while Brooke Kirchner (Lawrence, NY) handed out 20 assists to go along with eight digs and two service aces.  Victoria Cordero (Bronx, NY) equaled a match-high with 11 digs, and Meghan Eagleton (Poughkeepsie, NY) tallied 10 digs in her final collegiate match.

A Mele kill started the match, as the Privateers quickly jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the first set.  After Rutgers-Newark scored three straight points to tie it at 4-4, Maritime responded with a 6-1 spurt to open up a 10-5 cushion.  The Scarlet Raiders captured seven of the next eight points, though, to regain the lead, 12-11.  Rutgers-Newark then ended the set on a 9-1 run to earn a 25-15 win.

Rutgers-Newark continued its hot streak in the second set, scoring the first six points of the frame.  Maritime eventually pulled within 9-6, but the Scarlet Raiders rattled off eight of the next 10 points to extend their lead to 17-8.  The Privateers battled back within five at 18-13 before Rutgers-Newark closed out the set, 25-15, to take a 2-0 lead in the match.

In the third set, the Scarlet Raiders again built an early lead, going ahead 4-0.  After Maritime trimmed its deficit to two points at 8-6, Rutgers-Newark used a 7-2 run to push the margin back to seven at 15-8.  The Scarlet Raiders eventually opened up a 10-point lead, 22-12, before a Custodio kill started a 5-0 Maritime run that brought the Privateers within 22-17.  However, Rutgers-Newark scored the final three points to finish off the set, 25-17, and the match, 3-0.

For the Scarlet Raiders, Meredith Moore led the way with nine kills on .500 hitting.  She also served five aces.  Kaiel Maynor recorded eight kills and 11 digs, and Tracey Ilderis posted 10 digs to go along with five aces.  Saniyiah Richardson added 10 digs for Rutgers-Newark, while Rebekah Barnes notched 19 assists.  As a team, the Scarlet Raiders hit .242 (33 kills, 10 errors, 95 attempts) in the victory.

Maritime returns all but one player from this year's roster in 2022.