Box Score KINGS POINT, NY --

The Coast Guard Academy Bears notched their second win in a row with a 3-0(25-20, 25-16, 25-19) win over rival Merchant Marine. For the Mariners, the loss drops them to 3-2 on the season. They will play their first conference game on the year on Thursday September 11th, 7:00 PM vs Yeshiva. 

CGA started hot at in the first set, forcing an early KP timeout at 10-5 with sophomore Amelia Matson(Mililani, HI) scoring four of the Bears first 12 points on kills. The Mariners however would storm back and capitalize on Bear mistakes to cut the score to 15-13. The teams would exchange punches from that point, winding up tied at 17-17, 18-18, and 19-19. At 19-19, the Bears took charge. Two Abby Schweitzer(Emmaus, PA) kills, an Amelia Matson ace, and three KP errors gave Bears the first set victory that was too close for comfort for the majority of the set.

The first wasn't without theatrics for the Bears, with aces from Matson, Mary Grace Delfino(Alpharetta, GA), and Laila Baameur(Bakersfield, CA). For Delfino and Baameur, the aces are becoming a habit with each of them recording numerous last match as well. Beyond the usual suspects on the attack, the Bears also got a big kill from an unlikely source in set one: a high stakes back row kill from junior defensive specialist Courtney Shire(Cape May, NJ) to break the 17-17 tie.

Set two started much like the first for the Bears, they started hot, opening up a 6-1 lead but again KP fought back to tie the score at 7-7. CGA was then able to open up a 16-10 lead on the back of Ava Ahokovi(Honolulu, HI) and Laila Baameur aces with Sarah Somer(Cary, NC), Abby Schweitzer, and Amelia Matson each recording kills in the run. Ahokovi and Baameur would each finish the day with multiple aces.

Towards the end of set two, the middles took over. Four of the Bears last seven points came on kills from Eloise Shirley(Rock Island, IL) and Sam Ventimiglia(Key West, FL) with freshman Corey Lemmer(San Francisco, CA) adding a kill and block as well to close out a 25-16 set two win. 

For the third straight set, CGA jumped in front and Merchant Marine was able to chip away, this time taking a 12-10 lead. After two KP errors, Coast Guard tied the score at 12-12 and set fire from there, scoring 13 of the next 20 points to close out the 3-0 sweep. The third set went the Bears way much thanks to a spreading of the wealth on the attacking front with seven different women recording kills.

Amelia Matson was stellar for the Bears, leading the way in both digs(20) and kills(14) while also adding a block. 

Behind Matson in digs was the duo of Laila Baameur and Courtney Shire who had 14 and 12 respectivelly. Trailing Matson in kills were Sarah Somer and Abby Schweitzer who had six a piece, with six others recording at least one.

Eloise Shirley had four kills and led the team in blocks with four. Freshman six footer Corey Lemmer added two blocks. 

Feeding the rock for the Bears attack were Ava Ahokovi(20 assists) and Sophia Rosenberg(11 assists). Rosenberg(Hershey, PA) also added a kill and Ahokovi had two.

The win tonight was big not just for the Volleyball program, but the Academy as a hole with Coast Guard taking a 3-2 lead in the 2025-26 Superintendent's Trophy standings after cross country split with Merchant Marine on Saturday. See full standings HERE.

The Bears win brings them back over .500 at 3-2. They will host their lone home tri-match of the year on Saturday with DeSales and Johnson & Wales coming to town. Coast Guard will face DeSales at 11 AM and JWU at 3 PM. The Academy and volleyball program also look forward to celebrating Family Weekend this Saturday at CGA!