JERSEY CITY, NJ – On Tuesday, the Maritime College volleyball team made the short trip across the George Washington Bridge for a non-conference matchup with New Jersey City University.  Playing their third straight match away from home, the Privateers (1-7) dropped a 25-17, 25-19, 25-22 decision to the Gothic Knights (3-5) at the John J. Moore Athletics & Fitness Center.

The score was tied four times early in the first set before NJCU used a 7-2 rally to turn a 6-6 deadlock into a 13-8 advantage.  After the Gothic Knights extended the margin to 18-10, an NJCU service error and two straight Grace Devaney (Lynbrook, NY) service aces brought Maritime back within five at 18-13.  However, the Gothic Knights ended the set on a 7-4 run to earn a 25-17 win.

In the second set, it was the Privateers who raced out in front.  Soraya Hall (Valrico, FL) served back-to-back aces to give Maritime a 5-3 lead to go up 5-3.  NJCU responded with a 6-2 spurt to pull ahead 9-6 before the Privateers claimed six of the next seven points, with a pair of Karelys Rolon (Hudson, FL) aces making it 12-10.  The Gothic Knights countered with a 10-2 rally, though, to regain a six-point edge, 20-14.  NJCU captured the set by a 25-19 count to take a 2-0 lead in the match.

After the Gothic Knights opened up a 6-2 cushion in the third set, Maritime went on a 9-4 run to go ahead 11-10.  NJCU won the next three points, but the Privateers rallied to tie it at 15-15.  The Gothic Knights rebuilt a four-point advantage at 21-17 before three straight Maritime points got the Privateers within one, 21-20.  NJCU followed with a 3-1 rally to reach match point, and the Gothic Knights finished off the 3-0 sweep by taking the third set, 25-22.

Hall, Rolon and Ashley Pavarini (Ossining, NY) led the Privateers with five kills apiece.  Hall added four aces and eight digs.  Victoria Cordero (Bronx, NY) had a match-high 12 digs, while Mikaela Thiel (Fort Morgan, CO) distributed 10 assists.

For NJCU, Brianna Melancon had 11 kills on .526 hitting.  She also recorded three blocks.  Brenda Gonzalez tallied eight kills and seven digs, and Kiki Lugo paced the Gothic Knights with nine digs.  Genesis Hibbard handed out 15 assists, while Keyanni Overstreet was credited with 12 assists.  As a team, NJCU posted a hitting percentage of .286 (32 kills, eight errors, 84 attempts) in the match.

Maritime returns to action on Thursday night, when Albertus Magnus (4-3) visits Riesenberg Gymnasium at 7 p.m.