WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The Keiser volleyball team picked up a pair of straight-set victories on Saturday to close out the Palm Beach Juniors Classic, defeating No. 11 Montana Western 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-16) before closing the day with a 3-0 (25-15, 25-14, 27-25) win over WVU Tech. The results not only move the Seahawks to 2-2 on the season but also marked the first career victories at Keiser for head coach Dan Bergren.
In the opening match, Keiser used steady play to pull away late in each set against Montana Western. The Seahawks totaled 35 kills while hitting .162 as a team, while holding the Bulldogs to .067. Isabella Steffel led the attack with 10 kills on a .409 hitting percentage. Makenzi Bennett added eight kills, and Aubree Valcourt chipped in seven on a .364 clip. Setter Mallory Dills directed the offense with 29 assists and contributed eight digs defensively. Faith Marquis anchored the back row with 20 digs and added five service aces. Cece Worsham was active on both ends with six kills and 14 digs.
Keiser carried its momentum into the night match against WVU Tech. The Seahawks controlled the first two sets with strong serving and balanced offense before fending off a late rally in the third. As a team, Keiser finished with 39 kills and 12 block assists while limiting the Golden Bears to a -.038 attack percentage. Outside hitter Hannah Mary Herrick led the way with nine kills and two blocks. Gianna Tufariello and Steffel added six and five kills, respectively, while Valcourt and Marina Maia each contributed five. Setter Amie Molina ran the offense efficiently with 28 assists and added three service aces. Marquis once again anchored the defense with 14 digs, while Paryss Betts and Bennett combined for 20 digs on the night.
Across both matches, the Seahawks saw contributions from throughout the roster, including a shift at setter midway through the nightcap. Steffel finished with 15 kills on the day, Bennett added 10, and Herrick, Valcourt, and Maia each had key performances in the second match. Dills and Molina combined for 57 assists, and Marquis totaled 34 digs and seven service aces to lead the defense. With the victories, the Seahawks move to 2-2 on the season.
The Seahawks will host the Palm Beach Juniors Six-Team Round Robin August 21-22 facing Mobile at 9:00 AM.
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