BROOKLYN, NY – The Maritime College volleyball team began a busy stretch of five matches in six days with a visit to Brooklyn on Monday evening.  The Privateers (2-3) posted a solid .375 hitting percentage (11 kills, two errors, 24 attempts) in the first set, but ultimately fell by a 25-20 count.  The Bulldogs (7-6) then won the next two sets to close out a 25-20, 25-20, 25-16 victory at the West Quad Center.

After Brooklyn raced out to a 6-2 cushion in the first set, the Privateers responded with a 10-4 rally to go in front, 12-10.  Maritime held a 13-11 advantage when the Bulldogs rattled off five straight points to take a three-point lead, 16-13.  The Privateers got back within one at 17-16, but would get no closer, as Brooklyn took the opening set by a 25-20 count.

Brooklyn again built an early lead in the second set, pulling ahead 7-3.  After Maritime trimmed its deficit to two at 15-13, the Bulldogs scored seven of the next 10 points to make it 22-16.  Brooklyn reached set point at 24-18, and the Privateers fought off two opportunities before the Bulldogs closed out the frame, 25-20.

In the third set, the Bulldogs opened up a 10-2 advantage that they eventually extended to 19-7.  Brooklyn earned its first match point chance at 24-9, but Victoria Cordero (Bronx, NY) served five aces, including three straight, during an eight-point run that brought the Privateers within 24-16.  The Bulldogs won the next point, though, to finish off the set, 25-16, and the match, 3-0.

Jessica Mele (Southold, NY) didn't commit an error in 10 attack attempts, hitting .600 with six kills.  Celyna Custodio (Danbury, CT) had a team-high seven kills, while Erica Pagano (Lawrence, NY) paced the Privateers with nine digs.  Cordero tallied eight digs to go along with six aces, and Brooke Kirchner (Lawrence, NY) handed out 17 assists.

For Brooklyn, Aleah Rafat led the way with nine kills.  She also served four of the Bulldogs' 15 aces.  Amra Mulic recorded five aces while distributing 27 assists, and Tessa Winkleman smashed eight kills on .357 hitting.  Zoey Van Vleet had a match-high 13 digs, while Ashley Fung notched seven kills and 12 digs.  As a team, the Bulldogs hit .158 (36-21-95) in the match.

On Tuesday, Maritime (1-1 Skyline) resumes its Skyline Conference schedule with a 7 p.m. matchup against Manhattanville (8-2, 1-0 Skyline) at Riesenberg Gymnasium.