BRONXVILLE, N.Y. – After a promising start that saw a first set win of 27-25, the Sarah Lawrence College women's volleyball team dropped the next three sets to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at the Noyes Court at Campbell Sports Center on Thursday night.
 
USMMA (10-6,7-1 Skyline) remained atop the Skyline Conference standings with the win taking sets two through four by scores of 25-10, 25-14 and 25-9.
 
SLC (10-10, 3-5 Skyline) remains in contention for a spot in the Skyline Conference postseason tournament beginning on Nov. 1. The Gryphons are currently in fifth place in the Skyline Conference and six teams make the postseason event.
 
The Gryphons showed resiliency in the first set after falling down 24-17 thanks to a service error, but three aces from Davis Mathis, three kills by Athena Kazos and a pair of attack errors by USMMA tied set at 24-24. SLC had staved off eight consecutive set points.
 
An attack error by Kazos gave the Mariners another set point at 25-24 before a service error and back-to-back attack errors from USMMA saw the Gryphons pull out the set win at 27-25.
 
SLC, however, could not find its footing the rest of the way especially after the Mariners hit a whopping .415 in the second set going for 19 kills and two attack errors in 41 attempts.
 
USMMA would go on to hit .216 (55-25-139) for the match while SLC hit at a -.021 (21-24-140) clip.
 
Kazos led the Gryphons in kills with seven while Kaille Ferguson did everything she could on defense to keep her team in it with 33 digs. Mia Rector dished up 18 assists for SLC.
 
NEXT UP
The Gryphons will have little time to regroup as they make the nearly 50 mile trek into Madison, N.J., on Saturday morning to take part in the Drew Tri-Match. First serve against the host Drew University is at 10 a.m. EDT and then against Montclair State University at approximately noon EDT.