KINGS POINT, NY -- Pratt Institute fell in three sets in its 2015 opener to host United States Merchant Marine Academy on Thursday.
Joan Wyeth led the Cannoneers with four digs, tying with Hannah Calderwood for team-high honors with two assists. Calderwood led the team with four kills.
The Mariners set the tone for a dominant night for the home team early on, scoring the first nine points of the match, five on service aces from Kayla Gleason. Back-to-back Jordy Macbeth aces closed out a 25-6 Game 1 win for USMMA.
Pratt pulled to within 4-2 early in the second set after a Calderwood kill, but an 11-0 run fueled by four Darin Zacharias aces distanced the Mariners in the team's 25-5 victory. Another of Gleason's match-high seven aces opened up a 5-0 USMMA lead in Game 3. The defensive-minded Mariners held Pratt to -.136 hitting for the set while USMMA hit a robust .417 for the night, keeping the Cannoneers front row without a block all match, in sealing a 3-0 triumph with a 25-7 third-set win.
For the Mariners, Macbeth totaled four error-free kills on seven swings for a match-best .571 attack. Gleason handed out a match-high 22 assists. As a team, USMMA totaled 30 aces.
Pratt returns to Kings Point for the remainder of the USMMA Tournament on Saturday at noon against Farmingdale State and at 2:00 against Brooklyn College.
