OLD WESTBURY, NY – After taking a two-set lead, the Maritime College volleyball team saw Old Westbury battle back to force a fifth set on Wednesday night.  The Privateers (5-18, 2-6 Skyline) won the final frame, though, to secure a 25-20, 25-22, 20-25, 17-25, 15-13 triumph over the Panthers (4-12, 1-6 Skyline) at the Clark Athletic Center.

Maritime jumped out to a 4-1 cushion in the fifth set before extending that margin to 8-3 on a kill by Grace Devaney (Lynbrook, NY).  Old Westbury responded with five straight points to tie the score at 8-8, and it would be level again five more times.  The Privateers never relinquished their lead, however.  A service error by the Panthers brought Maritime to match point, and the Privateers took advantage of that opportunity to finish off the set, 15-13, and snap their nine-match losing streak.  It was Maritime's second five-set victory of the season.

Karelys Rolon (Hudson, FL) and Devaney each posted a double-double for the Privateers.  Rolon had 10 kills and 20 digs, while Devaney finished with 11 kills and 10 digs to go along with six service aces.  Ashley Pavarini (Ossining, NY) tallied 14 assists, eight kills and seven digs, and Victoria Cordero (Bronx, NY) registered 14 digs.  Mikaela Thiel (Fort Morgan, CO), meanwhile, contributed 13 assists and three aces.

In the first set, the Privateers slammed 13 kills and hit a combined .241 (six errors, 29 attempts).  Maritime opened up an 11-6 advantage before Old Westbury rallied to force an 11-11 deadlock.  The score was still even at 16-16 when Devaney pounded a kill to start an 8-2 run that brought the Privateers to set point.  Maritime claimed the opening frame by a 25-20 count.

Thiel served back-to-back aces to start the second set, but the Panthers claimed four of the next five points to go up 4-3.  Old Westbury still had the lead, 7-6, when a Hall kill started an 11-2 Maritime run that gave the Privateers a 17-9 cushion.  The Panthers rallied within one point at 19-18 before Maritime ended the set on a 6-4 spurt to close out a 25-22 win and pull ahead 2-0 in the match.

There were nine ties and four lead changes in a back-and-forth third set.  Old Westbury raced out to a 6-2 advantage, then the Privateers scored 10 of the next 14 points to take a 12-10 lead.  After Maritime extended the margin to 18-15, the Panthers rattled off eight straight points to go ahead 23-18.  Old Westbury captured the set, 25-20, to extend the match.

A Cordero ace gave the Privateers a 6-3 edge in the fourth set before the Panthers used a 6-0 run to build a 9-6 cushion.  After Old Westbury increased the gap to 14-9, Maritime claimed the next three points to trim its deficit to 14-12.  However, the Panthers countered with a 10-2 spurt to open up a 24-14 margin, and Old Westbury sent the contest into a decisive frame with a 25-17 set win.

Stephanie Maser smashed a match-high 16 kills and added 14 digs for the Panthers.  Stephanie Velez notched 10 kills and nine digs, while Jonangeliz Alvarez Rodriguez had 15 digs and eight assists.  Geanelle Sam finished with 23 assists and seven digs, and Mariana Gamez recorded 10 assists and eight digs for Old Westbury.

The Privateers now have an extended break of more than a week before returning to action.  Maritime visits Farmingdale (11-6, 5-2 Skyline) at 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 1.