SALEM, Mass – The Buccaneer volleyball team was on the road Tuesday evening taking on the Salem State Vikings in the opening match of conference play for both squads. The teams split the first two sets before the Vikes took sets three and four to win the match 3-1.

The Basics

Final: Salem State 3, Maritime 1 (25-15, 21-25, 25-12, 25-18)

Records: Salem State 1-5 (1-0 MASCAC)

               Maritime 0-6 (0-1 MASCAC)

For The Bucs

• Ameena Freeman (Columbus, OH) led the Bucs offensively with nine kills, also tied for the match-high. Izabella Mackintosh (Plymouth, MA) and Marlo Sim (Groton, CT) each posted seven kills for the Bucs.
• Captain Bianca Andronic (Somerset, MA) racked up a team-high 15 assists in the match while also leading the Bucs and tying the match-high with three service aces.
• Defensively, Freeman led the Bucs with 17 digs. Bianca posted 15 of her own while Sim and Diana Andronic (Somerset, MA) had 12 and 11 respectively.
• Freeman was also a force at the net with a match-high three blocks. Tegan Murray (Newburyport, MA) and Mackintosh each had a solo block as well.

For The Vikings

• Genevieve Kempster, Miranda Quinlan, and Abigail O'Connor each had nine kills for Salem.
• Eva Haralabatos assisted on 30 points for the Vikings in the win.
• Michelle Le was the clubhouse leader defensively with 36 digs. Kempster had 15 digs of her own.
• O'Connor led the Vikes with three solo blocks.

How It Happened

For the first time this season, the Buccaneers won a set against an opponent and did not post a negative hitting percentage at any point in the match. In the first game of the night, Maritime scored the first point of the match on a Bianca Andronic service ace. Salem didn't waste any time gathering themselves as they went on to score the next 10 points, jumping out to a 10-1 lead. The Bucs clawed their way back scoring seven of the next nine points to pull within four, 12-8, midway through the first set. Salem State took back the momentum once again, allowing the Bucs to score seven points over the remainder of the game as they went on a 13-7 run to take the first set of the match.

Set two was big for the Bucs and first-year head coach Bill Reilly. The teams went back and forth with multiple lead changes over the first handful of points. Maritime proceeded to go on a small run to take a four point lead, 10-6. Steadily, the Bucs pulled away from the Vikings by as many as eight points, 21-13, at one point. The final four points were a battle for the Bucs but their big lead proved to be enough. Though they were outscored 8-4 down the stretch, they found their way to the 25^th point on a block by Freeman to win the second set of the night, tying the match at 1-1.

Salem wasted no time in the third set, going on a 10-2 run to open things up. Maritime reached double digits in the set but Salem was able to keep their lead a consistent seven to 10 points all the way through. The hosts scored the final four points of the set to take game four 25-12 and give themselves a 2-1 lead in the match.

In set four, Maritime took the early lead as they had done in the first two sets, leading by as many as three, 6-3, at one points in the game. Up 8-6, the Bucs saw the Vikings make a surge, scoring four straight points and 10 of 11 to take a 16-9 lead. The squads would trade points as the Bucs fought hard to try and force a fifth and deciding game. Though the guests got back within five, 21-16, late, they could not hold off the Vikings who plundered their chances of that fifth set with a 25-18 win in set four to take the match, 3-1.

What's Next?

The Buccaneers are home on Thursday, September 16^th at 7pm taking on Gordon College. A reminder that all vaccinated individuals are permitted to come to the Clean Harbors Center for this and all matches. Masks are required indoors at the Academy at all times. Live stats and live stream will be available at mmabucs.com.