For Immediate Release · By Nairem Moran · nmoran@smcm.edu

St. Mary's City, Md. – On the opening day of the 10th Seahawk Invitational, the St. Mary's College of Maryland volleyball team split their first two matches Friday night. The Seahawks dropped a 3-1 decision to William Peace University (25-23, 21-25, 24-26, 21-25) before sweeping Brooklyn College (25-10, 25-20, 25-13).

William Peace 3, St. Mary's (Md.) 1 (25-23, 21-25, 24-26, 21-25)

How It Happened

• St. Mary's trailed just once in the first set before building a 16-8 margin for its biggest lead of the game. William Peace closed to within 23-22 before kills by seniors Alli and Mimi Graf (Annapolis, Md./Broadneck) sealed the 1-0 lead.
• The Seahawks owned a 16-13 advantage in the second before WPU used a 7-1 run to claim the lead for good. First-year outside hitter Mya Parks' (LaGrange, N.C./North Lenoir) sixth kill ended the set and evened up the match at 1-1.
• It was back-and-forth in the third set as sophomore outside hitter Meghan Kelley (Ellicott City, Md./Centennial) knotted the game at 24-24 with her fifth kill. However, back-to-back St. Mary's miscues gave the Pacers a 2-1 lead in the match.
• The fourth and final set was another highly contested affair with 13 tied scores and four lead changes. WPU closed out the set on a 4-0 run to break a 21-21 tie, including two consecutive kills by senior outside hitter Laura Bland (Wilson, N.C./Fike) to end the match.

For The Seahawks (7-4)

• A. Graf (career-best 24 kills, 21 digs, 2 block assists); Kelley (18 kills, career-high 9 digs); M. Graf (25 assists, 8 digs, 4 kills, 3 block assists); Mia Griffiths (18 assists, 6 digs); Carissa Hill (20 digs); Meghan Griffiths (17 digs, career-high 2 assists); Marissa Dangler (career-best 24 digs).
• St. Mary's hit .142 for the match with 7.0 team blocks and three service aces.

For William Peace (7-2)

• Parks (20 kills, 20 digs, 3 assists, 3 block assists); Bland (20 kills, 31 digs, 2 assists); Tempestt Frazier (12 kills, 6 block assists); Liana Solomon (54 assists, 22 digs, 4 kills, 2 block assists); Breanna Cary (10 digs); Carson Williams (24 digs).
• The Pacers attacked at a .193 clip with 10.0 team blocks and three service aces.

St. Mary's (Md.) 3, Brooklyn College 0 (25-10, 25-20, 25-13)

How It Happened

• St. Mary's dominated the first set and ended the first set with five straight points behind two kills from Kelley and two service aces from senior Meghan Griffiths (La Plata, Md./La Plata).
• Brooklyn put up a fight in the second set, turning around a 19-10 deficit and closing the gap to 22-19. The Seahawks held off the rally with a 3-1 run to end the second game.
• The Seahawks cruised to the match victory in the third, jumping out to a 4-0 lead and building a 19-8 advantage on a kill by sophomore middle blocker Hannah Krauss (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park). The match ended with back-to-back Kelley kills.

For The Seahawks (8-4)

• Kelley (14 kills, 8 digs); Krauss (career-highs of 11 kills and 2 assists); Mia Griffiths (19 assists, 6 digs); Marina Bell (career-best 12 assists, 2 kills, 2 digs); Meghan Griffiths (12 digs, 6 kills, career-high 4 service aces); A. Graf (12 digs, 5 kills, career-best 5 service aces, 2 block assists).
• St. Mary's posted a .235 attack percentage with 11 service aces and 3.0 team blocks.

For Brooklyn College (0-8)

• Sarina Rozek (11 digs, 4 kills).
• The Bulldogs tallied a negative hitting percentage (-.064) for the match with five service aces and 4.0 team blocks.

Notes

• In other Seahawk Invitational action, William Peace defeated Medgar Evers College, 3-0, for a 2-0 record on the night.
• Methodist University also notched a 2-0 record with sweeps of Brooklyn and Medgar Evers.

Up Next

• 9/17 vs. Medgar Evers – 12:00 p.m. (Seahawk Invitational)
• 9/17 vs. Methodist – 2:00 p.m. (Seahawk Invitational)

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