NEW YORK – The Maritime College volleyball team began its 2026 season with a visit to John Jay on Tuesday night. After dropping the first two sets, the Privateers (0-1) had a set point in the third before ultimately falling, 25-19, 25-16, 26-24, to the Bloodhounds (1-0) at the Doghouse.
John Jay jumped out to a 5-2 advantage in the first set, but Maritime responded with five of the next six points to go up 7-6. The Bloodhounds countered with a 6-0 run of their own, though, to regain a 13-7 edge. After John Jay increased the margin to 16-9, the Privateers used an 8-4 rally, capped by consecutive
Ashley Pavarini (Ossining, NY) service aces, to get back within 20-17. It would get no closer, however, as the Bloodhounds ended the frame by scoring five of the final seven points to wrap up a 25-19 win.
In the second set, John Jay again built an early 5-2 cushion. The Bloodhounds eventually extended that margin to 22-14 on an Emilia Cascapera ace. After hitting .346 (12 kills, three errors, 26 attempts) as a team in the first set, John Jay posted a .389 (9-2-18) hitting percentage in the second frame. With the 25-16 win, the Bloodhounds opened up a 2-0 lead in the match.
Maritime used a 6-1 run to turn a 7-7 deadlock into a 13-8 advantage midway through the third set. John Jay countered with a 12-4 spurt to go back in front, 20-17. A Pavarini kill on the next point started a 7-3 Privateers rally, and Maritime earned a set point when a block by
Laci Werner (New York, NY) and
Lara Cocis (Coeur d'Alene, ID) made it 24-23. The Bloodhounds responded with three straight points, though, to close out the set, 26-24, and a 3-0 match win.
Werner
tied for a team-best with seven kills and six digs in her debut for the Privateers.
Addison Weist (Staten Island, NY) added seven digs of her own, while
Joan Anastasiades (Rockaway Beach, NY) notched six digs.
Mikaela Thiel (Fort Morgan, CO) handed out 15 assists, and Pavarini tallied four aces.
For John Jay, Cascapera led the way with nine kills on .643 hitting. She didn't commit an attack error in 14 attempts. Ansley Hobson notched eight kills and 11 assists to go along with four digs. Kaia Mittauer contributed 10 assists, while Kynzie MacInnes served six of the Bloodhounds' 17 aces. As a team, John Jay hit a combined .267 (33-13-75).
Up next for Maritime is a tri-match at Mitchell on Saturday. The Privateers will face Mass Maritime (0-0) at 2 p.m. before taking on the host Mariners (0-0) at 4 p.m.
