CASTINE, Maine – Maine Maritime Academy's volleyball team opened the 2011 season in an impressive fashion, sweeping Maine-Presque Isle in back-to-back matches at Smith Gymnasium Friday night.

The Mariners (2-0) took the first match behind the attack of senior Chelsea Ward (Homer Alaska). The two-time Player of the Year in the North Atlantic Conference posted 15 kills on 22 attack attempts to lead MMA past the Owls (0-2) 25-8, 25-5, 25-13. Ward sat out the second game, but freshmen Sydney Robertson (Barnstead, N.H.) and Betsy Trenckmann (La Veta, Colo.) kept the Mariners cruising.

Roberston recorded a dozen kills on 21 attempts and tossed in a pair of aces. Aces were the name of the game for Trenckman. She sent seven serves to the floor in an impressive 20-point service run in the second game of the nightcap. Trenckman also recorded a kill and five digs. Senior Kayley Rodriguez (Quincy, Ill.) served up five aces for MMA in the night's second match. She had five aces and as many kills in the opener, while Melissa Lail (Elizabeth, Colo.) posted six kills.

Ariel Knights (Brookton, Maine) had five kills on eight attacks in the second match. KC Anderson (Franklin, Maine) bailed out the Mariners' nine times  in the first match, while Jenna King (Old Town, Maine) also came up with nine digs in the second.

Shaina Hood and Karen Creighton led the Owls with two kills apiece in the first match, while Samantha Roy earned four kills in the second.

Maine Maritime returns to action tomorrow against Lesley University and Maine-Presque Isle once again.

Maine Maritime def. Me.-Presque Isle 25-8, 25-5, 25-13

Me.-Presque Isle (0-1) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Karen Creighton 2-0-0; Shaina Hood 2-1-0; Leslie Theriault 1-0-0; Samantha Roy 0-0-1; Totals  5-1-1.0. (Assists) - . (Dig leaders) - Karen Creighton 6; Randi Kaplan 4

Maine Maritime (1-0) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Chelsea Ward 15-0-0;  Melissa Lail 6-2-1; Kayley Rodriguez 5-5-0; Sydney Robertson 4-5-0; Heather Moore 4-2-0; Ariel Knights 0-0-1; Jenna King 0-4-0; KC Anderson 0-1-0; Totals 34-19-1.0. (Assists) - Heather Moore 14; Kayley Rodriguez 13. (Dig leaders) - KC Anderson 9; Kayley Rodriguez 4

Maine Maritime def. Me.-Presque Isle 25-8, 25-6, 25-8

Me.-Presque Isle (0-2) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Samantha Roy 4-0-0; Kelsey McCollett 1-1-0; Randi Kaplan 1-1-0; Karen Creighton 0-0-2; Leslie Theriault 0-1-0; Shaina Hood 0-1-0; Totals 6-4-2.0. (Assists) -. (Dig leaders) - Randi Kaplan 6; Karen Creighton 5

Maine Maritime (2-0) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Sydney Robertson 12-2-2; Ariel Knights 5-1-1; Kayley Rodriguez 3-5-0; Heather Moore 3-1-1; Chantal Adderley 1-1-0; Jenna King 1-0-0; Betsy Trenckmann 1-7-0; Lauren Sakahara 1-2-0; KC Anderson 0-3-0; Totals 27-22-3.0. (Assists)   - Kayley Rodriguez 10. (Dig leaders) - Jenna King 9; Lauren Sakahara 6