Box Score
Postgame Interviews (Bowman & Jones)
 
KINGS POINT, N.Y. (Oct. 28, 2021) – The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy women's volleyball team downed visiting William Paterson University, 3-1, on Thursday night in non-conference action in front of a raucous crowd at the Liebertz Gymnasium. The Mariners celebrated Dig Pink Night during the match, wearing their pink jerseys for the last time in October to recognize Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It was their 12th-straight and improved their record to 19-3 on the season, while the Pioneers fell to 13-11 with the loss.
 
USMMA won the first two sets 25-15 and 25-18, but despite a great comeback in the third, loss to WPU, 26-24, to force a fourth set. The Mariners took care of business in the fourth, winning by their best score of the night, 25-13. They hit just .203 on the night, but held the Pioneers to a .058 percentage over the four sets.
 
Three players had double-digit kills for USMMA, with two of them recording two of the Mariners' three double-doubles on the night. Junior Paige Smith (Virginia Beach, Va.) had a team-best 14 kills and tied the match-high 25 digs, while senior Taylor Gilbertson (Phoenix, Ariz.) added 12 kills and 17 digs. Classmate Sierra Steffen (Encinitas, Calif.) contributed with 10 kills and fellow senior Brittney Pinzon (Fullerton, Calif.) had a double-double with 21 assists and 10 digs.
 
Senior libero Shelby Bowman (Redmond, Wash.) performed extremely well with 18 digs to go along with five service aces and five assists. Sophomore Amy Jones (Roscoe, Ill.) had a few energizing kills, ending the night with four kills as well as a match-high four blocks (two solo and two assisted). Junior Claire Hyun (Issaquah, Wash.) also dished out 19 assists on the night.
 
To watch postgame interviews with Bowman and Jones, click here.
 
For William Paterson, junior Leila Ksiyer had a match-high 21 kills as well as 12 digs, and senior Dakota Apicella registered 25 digs.
 
The Mariners will close out the regular season on Saturday, Oct. 30, at home with another non-conference match, this against Hunter College beginning at 1 p.m. at the Liebertz Gym. Live stats and a live video feed of the match will be available with links on the USMMA Women's Volleyball Schedule Page.
 
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