THROGGS NECK, NY – The Maritime College volleyball team won the first two sets of its matchup with Mount St. Mary on Tuesday night. However, the Knights (11-8, 4-4 Skyline) rallied to take the next three and post a 23-25, 20-25, 25-15, 25-16, 15-2 victory over the Privateers (4-9, 1-8 Skyline) at Riesenberg Gymnasium.
After Mount St. Mary jumped out to a 7-4 lead in the first set, Maritime rattled off seven of the next eight points to go up 11-8. The Knights responded with a 12-4 run, though, to regain a 20-16 advantage. The Privateers used a 4-1 spurt to pull within 21-20 before Mount St. Mary claimed the next two points to increase its cushion to 23-20. However, Maritime ended the set on a 5-0 rally to clinch the frame, 25-23.
It was the Privateers who built the early cushion in the second set. Maritime opened up a 5-1 margin before the Knights rallied to tie the score at 9-9.
Andressa Dias-Moreira (Forest Hills, NY) followed with a kill to start a 6-1 Privateers run that put Maritime in front 15-10. After Mount St. Mary forced a 17-17 deadlock, Dias-Moreira smashed another kill that sparked a 7-1 rally and brought the Privateers to set point. Dias-Moreira was then credited with another kill to end the set, 25-20, and give Maritime a 2-0 lead against the Knights for the first time in 25 all-time matches.
Mount St. Mary started the third set with nine straight points, and the Knights eventually extended that advantage to 13-2. The Privateers countered with 11 of the next 15 points, using back-to-back
Mikaela Thiel (Fort Morgan, CO) service aces to pull within 17-13. Maritime would get no closer, though. Mount St. Mary captured eight of the final 10 points to wrap up the set, 25-15, and force a fourth frame.
In the fourth set, the Knights again raced out to an early lead. After Mount St. Mary built a 9-3 cushion, the Privateers went on a 6-2 run to trim their deficit to 11-9. The Knights took 11 of the next 15 points, however, to push the margin to 22-11. With a 25-16 win, Mount St. Mary sent the match into a decisive set.
Maritime played a fifth set for the second straight match and the eighth time this season. The Privateers fell to 2-6 in those contests, however, as the Knights dominated the final frame. Mount St. Mary hit .538 in the fifth set, smashing seven kills without an error in 13 attempts. The Knights ran away with a 15-2 win to seal the come-from-behind 3-2 triumph.
Ashley Pavarini (Ossining, NY) notched her third straight double-double with 13 kills and 23 digs (which matched her career-high). Thiel also posted a double-double with 36 assists and 11 digs. She added five aces.
Addison Weist (Staten Island, NY) contributed nine kills, and
Joan Anastasiades (Rockaway Beach, NY) recorded a career-best 27 digs. Dias-Moreira, meanwhile, had seven kills to go along with three blocks.
Three different Mount St. Mary players finished with a double-double. Julianna Simone tallied match-highs with 19 kills and 28 digs, while Emily Baron registered 16 kills and 11 digs. Sienna Pollock added 10 kills and 15 digs while serving four aces. Abigale Greenspan collected 14 digs and Allie Kenney secured 10 digs, as the Knights held an 89-81 edge in that category. Knights setter Sofia Fredericks, meanwhile, distributed 50 assists.
On Thursday, Maritime continues its season-ending three-match homestand with a 6 p.m. contest against Mount St. Vincent (6-15, 3-5 Skyline).
