BROOKLYN, N.Y. (Aug. 29, 2025) – The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy women's volleyball team opened the 2025 season with a straight-set victory over Pratt Institute on Friday night at Cannoneers' ARC Arena, 3-0 (25-8, 25-14, 25-17).
 
Match Link

• Box Score 

Sophomore Sydney Douglas (Herndon, Va.) led all players with 13 kills, while junior Erin Stillinger (Keller, Texas) contributed seven and sophomore Maddie Mayer (Centennial, Colo.) added five. Junior setter Alexa Tipps (Palmdale, Calif.) paced the offense with 25 assists and led the match with eight service aces.
 
Defensively, freshman Carly Soboloski (Peoria, Ariz.) collected a team-high 11 digs, Douglas chipped in 10 as part of a double-double effort, and senior libero Stephanie Schatzman (Virginia Beach, Va.) recorded eight. At the net, Mayer totaled five blocks (one solo, four assists), while sophomore Jenny Dyke (Grand Rapids, Mich.) added three blocks (all assists).
 
Set 1 – USMMA 25, Pratt 8: The Mariners came out strong to open the match, scoring the first five points behind two aces from Tipps and three early kills from Douglas. Merchant Marine extended the lead to 15-5 and closed the set on a 10-3 run to take a 1-0 lead.
 
Set 2 – USMMA 25, Pratt 14: Pratt stayed close early, trailing 9-7, before the Mariners pulled away with an 8-1 run fueled by four kills from Stillinger and Mayer. Tipps served out the final three points, including an ace, to give USMMA a two-set advantage.
 
Set 3 – USMMA 25, Pratt 17: Merchant Marine held a slim 13-12 lead midway through the frame before a 7-1 stretch, highlighted by two Douglas kills and back-to-back aces from Tipps, put the set out of reach. A block by Mayer and Dyke closed out the sweep.
 
As a team, USMMA finished with 31 kills, 28 assists, 14 service aces, 48 digs, and nine total blocks, hitting .138 on the night. Pratt managed 14 kills, 13 assists, six aces, and 34 digs, with a .000 hitting percentage.
 
For the Cannoneers, Lucille Colletti and Emilee Lehman each tallied four kills, while setter Valentina Alvarado dished out eight assists and added seven digs.
 
The Mariners return to action with a non-conference tri-match tomorrow, Saturday, Aug. 30, up at Gordon College in Wenham, Mass. They will take on Husson University at 1 p.m. before facing off against the host Fighting Scots at 3 p.m.
 
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