THROGGS NECK, NY – The Maritime College volleyball team played host to New Jersey City University for the first time in program history on Tuesday night.  There were a combined 13 ties and eight lead changes in the first two sets, but the Gothic Knights (7-0) ended up taking both frames en route to a 25-20, 25-18, 25-16 victory over the Privateers (4-3) at Riesenberg Gymnasium.

After the teams traded the first 12 points of the match, NJCU used a 9-4 run to open up a 15-10 advantage.  Maritime responded with a 7-3 spurt of its own to pull within 18-17.  The Gothic Knights scored six of the next seven points, though, to reach set point.  NJCU hit an even .300 (14 kills, five errors, 30 attempts) in its 25-20 set one win.

In the second set, the Privateers jumped out to an early 6-3 cushion.  The Gothic Knights rallied to tie the score at 8-8 before Maritime claimed the next two points to regain the lead, 10-8.  However, NJCU rattled off 14 of the next 20 points to open up a 22-16 margin.  With a 25-18 set win, the Gothic Knights took a 2-0 edge in the match.

NJCU raced out to a 9-3 advantage in the third set, but the Privateers came storming back to draw even at 13-13.  Following a timeout, the Gothic Knights went on a 4-2 spurt to go back in front, 19-15.  NJCU claimed the set, 25-16, to close out a 3-0 match victory.

Ashley Pavarini (Ossining, NY) had a team-high 10 kills to go along with seven digs.  Addison Weist (Staten Island, NY) finished with seven kills, and Mikaela Thiel (Fort Morgan, CO) distributed 17 assists.  Olivia Casabona (Cross River, NY), meanwhile, paced the Privateers with 15 digs.

For the Gothic Knights, Kai Fitzpatrick led the way with 16 kills on .273 hitting.  She added eight digs.  Diane Pugay hit .324 with 15 kills while also notching nine digs and three service aces.  Rae Marrero handed out 30 assists, and Elisabeth Brito tallied 15 digs.  As a team, NJCU posted a .223 (41-18-103) hitting percentage and had an 11-1 advantage in aces. 

On Thursday, Maritime continues its six-match homestand with a 6 p.m. contest against John Jay (4-2).