CASTINE, Maine – Maine Maritime Academy volleyball claimed the 2016 North Atlantic Conference Volleyball Championship, defeating Colby-Sawyer College on Saturday afternoon, 3-1 (25-18, 25-15, 17-25, 25-23) inside of Smith Gymnasium.

The Mariners clinched their first NAC Championship since 2010, the program's fifth overall, and earned an automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Volleyball Tournament.

In their 10th straight NAC Championship Final appearance, the Mariners jumped out to a great start in the first set, led by seven kills from sophomore Tess Clark (Spring, Texas) and six kills from senior captain Gillian O'Neal (Burbank, Calif.). The Mariners won set one by a score of 25-18 and picked up where they left off in the second set, led by seven kills from O'Neal, to take a 2-0 match lead following a 25-15 win in the second set.

Colby-Sawyer battled back to claim the third set 25-17, led by five kills from Courtney Murray. The fourth set was a dramatic back-and-forth showdown, but with the set tied at 23-23, the Mariners tallied the next two points to claim the championship.

O'Neal earned Tournament MVP honors after recording her 17th double-double of the season of 21 kills and 14 digs. O'Neal, the 2016 NAC Player of the Year, also added two aces. Clark tallied her 10th double-double of the season with 23 digs and 14 kills en route to earning All-Tournament honors while also chipping in with five aces, two assists, and a block.

The 2016 NAC Rookie of the Year, Sydney Adams (Trumbull, Conn.) recorded a match-high 39 assists, while also tallying 12 digs for her 11th double-double of the season, to earn All-Tournament honors and the 2016 NAC Defensive Player of the Year Maria Perez (San Juan, Puerto Rico) recorded 23 digs and six assists to be named to the All-Tournament squad.

Colby-Sawyer was led by All-Tournament selections Murray and Naarah Cox. Murray ended the afternoon with a team-best 12 kills, while also tallying two blocks and Cox put together a well-rounded performance with eight total blocks, four kills, and three digs.

Elyssa Clairmont and Olivia Goodrich led the Chargers (11-21) with 17 and 13 assists respectively, while Gabrielle Rodriguez led the team with 14 digs and both Ashley Kinley and Elyssa Clairmont added 11 digs.

The Mariners improve to 22-8 on the season, and will learn their opponent in the NCAA Tournament during the NCAA Volleyball Selection Show scheduled for Monday, November 7 at 12:30 pm. Live video of the selection show will be displayed beginning at 12:30 pm HERE. 

2016 North Atlantic Conference Volleyball All-Tournament Team

Lyndon - Abbey Greene
Husson University – Hanna Hembrow
Colby-Sawyer – Courtney Murray
Colby-Sawyer – Naarah Cox
Maine Maritime Academy – Tess Clark
Maine Maritime Academy – Sydney Adams
Maine Maritime Academy – Maria Perez
MVP - Maine Maritime Academy – Gillian O'Neal