Box Score NEW LONDON, Conn. (Sept. 8, 2026) – The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy women's volleyball team totaled 79 digs and nine service aces in a back-and-forth five-set battle with arch-rival Coast Guard on Tuesday night, but the Bears prevailed, 3-2, at Roland Hall.
 
The Mariners (3-1) took the opening set, 25-23, before Coast Guard answered with 26-24 and 25-17 victories in the second and third. USMMA forced a deciding fifth set with a 25-21 win in the fourth, but the Bears (2-2) escaped with a 15-13 victory in the finale.
 
Match File

• Box Score (Unavailable Due To Technical Issues) 

Senior Erin Stillinger (Keller, Texas) led the Mariners with 12 kills, while sophomore Carly Soboloski (Peoria, Ariz.) and freshman Anna Kelly (Orange, Texas) added seven apiece. Junior Sydney Douglas (Herndon, Va.) put down six kills on 14 errorless attacks for a .429 hitting percentage and also served three aces.
 
Freshman Miranda Zeng (Cupertino, Calif.) picked up a double-double after handing out 41 assists and collecting 14 digs, while senior Alexa Tipps (Palmdale, Calif.) paced USMMA with 21 digs. Freshman Candy Saz-Price (Cabot, Ark.) also registered three service aces.
 
USMMA trailed 23-21 late in the opening set before Stillinger sparked a four-point closing run with a kill. A Coast Guard attack error tied the score, Stillinger followed with an ace and another Bears attack error gave the Mariners the 25-23 win. The roles were nearly reversed in the second, as USMMA battled back from an early 5-0 deficit to take a 24-23 lead, only for Coast Guard to score the final three points and even the match with a 26-24 victory.
 
After Coast Guard took the third, 25-17, the Mariners responded in the fourth. With the Bears ahead 8-7, Saz-Price helped turn the set around with three service aces during a run that put USMMA in front, 11-8. The Mariners eventually opened a 21-13 advantage and held off a late Coast Guard push before freshman Sophie Phillips (Huffman, Texas) finished the 25-21 win with a kill to force a fifth set.
 
USMMA appeared to be in control of the decisive set after building an 11-6 lead, but Coast Guard answered with six consecutive points to move ahead, 12-11. Douglas eventually pulled the Mariners even at 13-13 with a kill, but the Bears claimed the final two points to take the set, 15-13, and the match.
 
For Coast Guard, Corey Lemmer led all players with 18 kills while hitting .279, Abigail Schweitzer added 12 kills and Alaina Corbin finished with 11. Courtney Shire led the Bears with 25 digs, while Ava Ahokovi dished out 24 assists.
 
Due to technical issues with NCAA Live Stats, official statistics from the match were not available Tuesday night and are expected to be finalized on Wednesday.
 
Up next, the Mariners return home to host Skyline Conference opponent Old Westbury on Friday, Sept. 11, at 7 p.m. at the Liebertz Gymnasium.
 
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