KINGS POINT, N.Y. (Oct. 17, 2022) – On Monday night, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy women's volleyball team welcomed in rival SUNY Maritime College for a Skyline match, the Mariners' first ever 142 match. It was USMMA that came out on top in straight sets, 25-11, 25-16, 25-13, to improve to 11-6 (8-1 Skyline), while the Privateers fall to 2-12 (1-6 Skyline) with the loss.
 
Match Links

• Box Score
• WATCH: Post-Match Interview With Senior Skyler Burnham 

Senior Paige Smith (Virginia Beach, Va.) just missed out on a double-double with a match-high 10 kills and nine digs, while also serving up three aces. Fellow senior Claire Hyun (Issaquah, Wash.) dished out a match-high 22 assists and also led all players on the night with four service aces, and senior Skyler Burnham (Reading, Pa.) picked up 12 digs, more than any other player on the court.
 
Every Mariner other than the libero Burnham had multiple-kills, as junior Brittany Breland (Bryan, Texas) added nine, sophomore Virginia Robert (Lynchburg, Va.) had six, senior Cadee Fromm (Enid, Okla.) and junior Meredith Buchanan (Kathleen, Ga.) both contributed five apiece – with Buchanan also taking over setting duties late in the third set and recording seven assists – Hyun fired down two kills, including an impressive one on a giant leap off an over ball, while junior Amy Jones (Roscoe, Ill.) and sophomore Elizabeth Kay (Charleston, W.Va.) both had two kills.
 
After Merchant Marine raced out to an 8-3 lead in the first set, SUNY Maritime battled back within three, 10-7. The Mariners responded with 10 of the next 12 points to extend their advantage to 20-9 en route to a 25-11 set win.
 
The Privateers captured the first two points of the second set before Merchant Marine scored 11 of the next 14 to make it 11-5. After the Mariners opened up an 18-10 cushion, SUNY Maritime rattled off four points in a row to cut their deficit to just four, 18-14. However, USMMA would end the frame on a 7-2 run to earn a 25-16 win to go up 2-0 in the match.
 
In the third set, the Mariners again jumped out to an early lead, 8-2. Merchant Marine eventually pushed the margin to 13 points at 21-9 before Maritime went on a 5-1 run to pull within 22-13. Merchant Marine scored the final three points to close out the set, 25-13, and the match, 3-0.
 
The Privateers were led by senior Erica Pagano with seven kills, while classmate Celyna Custodio had six kills and a team-high 11 digs. Fellow senior Brooke Kirchner, meanwhile, dished out 14 assists to go along with six digs.
 
Up next, Merchant Marine will play host to non-conference opponent Hunter College this Thursday night, Oct. 20. Prior to the 7 p.m. first serve, the Mariners will pay tribute to their four graduating seniors with a special Senior Night ceremony. 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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