Oct. 22, 2005

Final Stats

HAMILTON, N.Y. - After dropping the first two games of the match, the Navy volleyball team rebounded to win the next two and force a fifth game, but managed only one kill during game five to drop a 15-1 decision and the match to Colgate, Saturday night at Hamilton, N.Y. The Raiders (4-5 Patriot League, 5-17 overall) defeated the Midshipmen (6-4 Patriot League, 15-7 overall) 30-27, 30-18, 23-30, 17-30, 15-1.

"It took us too long to begin executing and playing the way we are capable of and the way we needed to," said Navy head coach Mike Schwob. "You can't give anyone a two game advantage and expect to win. Give Colgate credit. They put our backs to the wall right from the start of the match."

Navy forced a fifth game by totaling 21 kills and zero errors on 36 attempts for a hitting percentage of .583 in game four, but began game five with no kills and five errors on its opening 15 swings. Colgate, meanwhile, connected on each of its first six attempts during the fifth game to take an 11-0 lead and ended the game with eight kills and no errors on 10 attempts for a .800 attack percentage.

"We couldn't get out of the first rotation in game five," said Schwob. "We had a number of attempts, but Colgate's pressure forced us out of our system and into some difficult hitting situations."

With the large difference in game five helping, Colgate outhit the Mids in the match .211-.179. Navy outblocked Colgate 13-10, but the Raiders hauled in 73 digs to 68 for the Mids.

Individually for Navy, Beth McArthur (Jr., Roseville, Minn.) totaled 13 kills, a .407 hitting percentage, 12 digs and seven blocks, with Jessie Sims (Fr., Etowah, N.C.) recording 14 kills, a .308 attack percentage and a career-high tying 22 digs. It was the fifth double-double of the season for McArthur and the sixth of the year for Sims.

Colgate was led defensively by Jackie Adlam's 30 digs and offensively by 22 kills from Katrina Zawojsky.

Despite the loss, forcing a fifth game gives Navy the tiebreaker over the Colgate should the teams end the season tied. The two teams split the season series against each other - Navy posted a 3-1 victory earlier this season in Annapolis -- but Navy holds the tiebreaker by virtue of winning five games to Colgate's four during the two matches.

With three weeks left in the regular season, Navy stands in third place with a 6-4 record, one-half match in front of fourth-place Bucknell (5-4) and one and one-half matches in front of fifth-place Colgate (4-5). Only the top-four teams at the end of the regular season will advance to the league playoffs.

Navy will continue its season next weekend with matches Friday at Lehigh and Saturday at Lafayette.