CASTINE, Maine – Maine Maritime Academy volleyball defeated SUNY Maritime 3-1 (25-21, 25-19, 22-25, 25-12) in the opening game of the Eighth Annual Maritime Classic. 

The Mariners took the first set 25-21 and the second set 25-19. The Privateers fought back in the third set and took a narrow 25-22 decision but the Mariners took a decisive 25-12 victory in the fourth set to claim the 3-1 victory. 

Alexa Cacacie (Manahawkin, N.J.) led the Mariners with 18 kills, four digs, four aces and three blocks, Maggie MacMahon (Boise, Idaho) added nine kills, a dig and a block and Sydney Adams (Trumbull, Conn.) led all players with 44 assists, while adding five digs, two kills and a block. Maria Perez (San Juan, Puerto Rico) led all players with 18 digs, while also contributing two aces.

Shannon Brady led the Privateers with 12 kills and three digs, teammate Gabrielle Kempski had a team-high 10 digs and added five digs, and Erika Kirchner recorded 23 assists and three digs. 

The Mariners improve to 5-5 on the season, while the Privateers fall to 5-3 overall. Both teams return to action tomorrow in the final day of the Maritime Classic. Maine Maritime takes on USMMA at 10:30 am and Massachusetts Maritime at 2:30 pm.