THROGGS NECK, NY – On Saturday afternoon in the last of three consecutive home matches, the Maritime College volleyball team had one of its most impressive performances of the season.  The Privateers (7-10) hit .280 (32 kills, 11 errors, 75 attempts) as a team and combined for 24 service aces in a 25-13, 25-14, 25-11 victory over Medgar Evers (0-14) at Riesenberg Gymnasium.  Maritime has now won two straight and four of its last five.

Jessica Mele (Southold, NY) finished with a match-high 12 kills on .526 hitting to go along with five aces and eight digs.  Kelly Kuhn (Lansdale, PA), meanwhile, posted a .688 hitting percentage, slamming a career-best 11 kills without an error in 16 swings.  Ashley Pavarini (Ossining, NY) had 22 assists and eight aces, and Xieana Rodriguez (Queens, NY) served seven aces.  Erica Pagano (Lawrence, NY) distributed seven assists, while Victoria Cordero (Bronx, NY) tallied five digs.

Medgar Evers began the match with back-to-back aces before a Mele kill sparked a seven-point Maritime rally.  After the Cougars got back within one at 10-9, Kuhn smashed a kill to start an 8-1 run that featured five aces (three by Rodriguez, two by Pagano).  The Privateers reached set point at 24-12, and a kill by Samatha Hart (Brooklyn, NY) finished off the 25-13 set win.

Maritime never trailed in the second set.  The Privateers scored the first three points and quickly expanded their advantage to 6-2.  Medgar Evers pulled within two at 10-8 before Maritime tallied five of the next seven points to go up 15-10.    The Privateers then used a 7-0 run to make it 22-12, and an ace by Mele closed out the set, 25-14.  As a team, Maritime tallied 15 kills and hit .300 in the second set.

The Cougars led 3-2 early in the third set when a Kuhn kill began a 6-0 Maritime spurt.  Rodriguez had three aces in the run, which put the Privateers up 8-3.  After Medgar Evers got within 11-7, Mele served aces on three of the next five points, as Maritime extended its cushion to 16-7.  Kills by Kuhn and Olivia Banach (Gurnee, IL) wrapped up the set, 25-11, and clinched a 3-0 Privateers victory. Maritime hit a combined .381 (9-1-21) and added nine aces in the final frame.

Jennifer Metra led Medgar Evers with three kills.  Quiara Brye Brey added five assists and 10 digs for the Cougars, who outdug the Privateers 30-25.

After playing three straight at Riesenberg Gymnasium, Maritime (3-4 Skyline) hits the road on Tuesday night, when it takes on Mount St. Mary (2-16, 2-2 Skyline) at 7 p.m.  It marks the start of a span where the Privateers play four of their final five matches away from home.