St. Mary’s City, Md. — The St. Mary’s College of Maryland women’s volleyball team split a tri-match on September 20, 2025, at the Michael P. O’Brien Athletics and Recreation Center Arena, falling to Marymount University in four sets before defeating Hood College in four sets. The split improved the Seahawks’ record to 5-6 overall in their second season competing as a full NCAA Division III program.
In the morning opener against Marymount, the Seahawks dropped a 25-20, 28-26, 22-25, 25-20 decision to the 3-7 Saints. St. Mary’s mounted a comeback in the third set, holding Marymount to a .144 hitting percentage while posting a .132 clip of their own on 47 kills and 27 errors over 152 attempts. Maya Mauro led all players with 16 kills and added 11 digs for her first double-double of the season. Hope Parrish contributed 10 kills, and Julia Bobrowski recorded 8 kills, 15 digs and four block assists. Setters Camilla Galeano and Lauren Panageotou distributed 39 assists between them, with Galeano adding two service aces. The teams traded aces at 10 apiece, but Marymount edged out the points total, 61.0 to 59.0, thanks to two solo blocks to St. Mary’s four total blocks.
The afternoon matchup saw St. Mary’s rebound with a 25-21, 25-22, 25-17, 25-17 victory over Hood, outhitting the Blazers .107 to .009 and serving up 14 aces to Hood’s 11. Mauro paced the attack again with 12 kills, while Sanaa Porter tallied seven kills and two block assists. Bobrowski notched eight kills and six digs, and Galeano dished 16 assists to go with a match-high six service aces. The Seahawks generated 42 kills on 121 attempts with 29 errors, compared to Hood’s 28 kills and 27 errors on 113 swings, resulting in a 61.0 to 44.0 edge in points. St. Mary’s assists totaled 39 against Hood’s 25, and the team added five blocks to the Blazers’ five.
These results highlight the Seahawks’ resilience in nonconference play, where they have faced a mix of regional opponents early in the schedule. St. Mary’s returns to action on September 23, traveling to Lynchburg, Virginia, for a 6:30 p.m. United East Conference matchup against Randolph College, which entered the week at 4-5.
In Division III, success hinges on player development and team cohesion rather than recruiting firepower. The Seahawks’ early-season split reflects that dynamic, with Mauro emerging as a consistent offensive threat. As a junior outside hitter from Bethesda, Maryland, Mauro has anchored the front row since her freshman year, averaging over 10 kills per match in limited action last season. Her double-double against Marymount marked a milestone, showcasing improved defensive reads alongside her power at the net.
Bobrowski, a sophomore middle blocker from Annapolis, Maryland, has been a defensive staple, her four block assists against Marymount contributing to St. Mary’s edge in net play. Parrish, a freshman outside hitter hailing from Southern Maryland’s own La Plata, brings local flavor to the roster, her 10 kills underscoring the program’s draw for high school standouts from area powers like La Plata High School. Porter, a senior right side from Washington, D.C., added timely kills against Hood, her two blocks helping stifle the Blazers’ comeback attempts in the third set.
Galeano, a sophomore setter from Colombia via Miami, Florida, and Panageotou, a junior from nearby Annapolis, form a tandem that prioritizes quick sets to Mauro and Bobrowski. Galeano’s six aces against Hood — the most in a match for a Seahawk since 2022 — highlight her serving prowess, a skill drilled in practices that emphasize low-error serves to maintain momentum.
Southern Maryland’s college volleyball scene extends beyond St. Mary’s to the College of Southern Maryland in La Plata, a two-year institution whose women’s team posted a 23-3 record in 2023 under coach Elizabeth Ravancho. CSM’s Hawks compete in NJCAA Division II, routinely qualifying for regionals and drawing crowds from Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s counties.
The United East Conference schedule intensifies for St. Mary’s starting next week, with home dates against Penn State Harrisburg on October 4 and Penn College on October 11. These games offer fans a chance to see the Seahawks in conference action, where hitting efficiency and service pressure often decide tight sets. Attendance at O’Brien Arena averages 150 per match, bolstered by student sections and tailgates that nod to the college’s maritime heritage.
As the Seahawks navigate a 24-match regular season, their focus remains on fundamentals: minimizing errors, as seen in the 27-miscue opener against Marymount, and capitalizing on aces, which swung the Hood win. With 18 players on the roster — nine underclassmen — depth will be key against upper-echelon conference foes like Lancaster Bible College, which won the 2024 United East title.
Looking ahead, St. Mary’s aims for a .500 conference mark, a step up from their inaugural DIII campaign. The September 23 road test at Randolph, a squad known for gritty defense, will test that resolve early.
