Three Mariners put up career numbers to help the United States Merchant Marine Academy volleyball team begin its 2007 season a perfect 2-0 with victories over Old Westbury and John Jay in a tri-match recently. USMMA's 11-person roster which includes seven freshmen and two sophomores defeated host Old Westbury by a 3-0 (30-24, 30-25, 30-21) score in the opening match and followed up with a 3-1 win (30-17, 31-33, 30-19, 30-17) over John Jay. Sophomores Jesselyn LaValley and Patricia Greene as well as junior Cheryl Arnott all set and matched career marks in the winning efforts while the large freshman class made an immediate impact as well.

USMMA begins its season a perfect 2-0, 0-0 in Landmark Conference action. Old Westbury later defeated John Jay 3-1 (32-30, 30-8, 26-30, 30-24) and started off its fall at 1-1, 0-0 in Skyline Conference play while John Jay left on the short end with a record of 0-2, 0-0 in CUNY action.

LaValley posted her 12th career double-double with 15 kills and 14 digs (both team highs) in the victory over Old Westbury. Her .382 hitting percentage and three total blocks were also team bests. Arnott finished with a career-best .333 hitting percentage and matched another career mark with two kills. Freshman setter Jenna Palaschak finished with a team-best 23 assists while classmates Ana Fuschetto and Derien Jastrzebski led the team with five service aces each in the game.

In the John Jay victory, LaValley posted her 13th career double-double with 13 kills and a career-best 28 digs. Her previous career high for digs was 23 set back on Oct. 30, 2006 versus St. Joseph's College. She also added a career-best three assists and a team-high five solo blocks.

Patricia Greene posted her second career double-double with 10 kills and 15 digs in the victory over John Jay. Her 10 kills also matched a career high set back on Sept. 6, 2006 versus Hunter.

Freshman Stephanie Dawber led the team with a .500 hitting percentage and finished with seven kills and no errors on 14 total attacks versus John Jay. Palaschak's 22 assists and seven service aces were both team highs.

As a team, the Mariners serving game, including its serve receive, proved to be a deadly combination. The club had 40 service aces and only 12 reception errors in the two games combined. Fuschetto, Jastrzebski and Palaschak each had nine service aces to lead the way for the Mariners.

With 152 wins now under his belt, Head Coach Jim Hettenbach now needs just four wins to match and five more to break the program's all-time coaching record for career victories.