West Palm Beach, Fla. – The Keiser volleyball team opened the 2025 season Friday with a pair of challenging matches at the Palm Beach Juniors Classic, falling to Spring Arbor (MI) in straight sets in the morning before pushing Taylor (IN) to five sets in an afternoon thriller.
In the opener, the Seahawks dropped a 20-25, 20-25, 22-25 decision to Spring Arbor. The Cougars' offense was sharp, hitting .267 with 41 kills, while Keiser finished with 32 kills and 60 digs. Cece Worsham paced the Seahawks with 10 kills on a .152 hitting percentage, while Kenzie Bennett added seven kills and two aces. Abby Lester contributed six kills, hitting .250. Mallory Dills ran the offense with 27 assists and chipped in six digs, while Faith Marquis anchored the defense with 18 digs. Bennett and Paryss Betts each added nine digs, and Aubree Valcourt posted two block assists.
The afternoon contest against Taylor showcased Keiser's resilience in a 23-25, 25-23, 25-19, 29-31, 15-8 loss. The Seahawks claimed the first set and, after dropping the next two, forced a deciding frame with a dramatic 31-29 win in the fourth. Keiser's offense was balanced, with Worsham recording 14 kills, 15 digs, and two block assists, and Isabella Steffel adding 13 kills with three total blocks. Bennett posted 11 kills and 12 digs, while Valcourt chipped in seven kills. Lester once again provided key swings with six kills.
Dills had a standout performance, dishing out 48 assists and collecting 13 digs along with two service aces. Marquis delivered a defensive clinic with a match-high 36 digs. Keiser also matched Taylor in total digs (92) and edged them in total kills (54-53), but the Trojans held the momentum in the decisive fifth.
The Seahawks will close out the Palm Beach Juniors Classic on Saturday with two more matches, facing Montana Western and West Virginia Tech starting at 4:00 PM.
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