Sept. 19, 2008
Box Score
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ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- After struggling to find a rhythm until deep into the third set, the Navy volleyball team came to life late to hold off Wagner for a 26-24, 21-25, 25-23, 25-16 victory over the Seahawks Friday night at the Wesley A. Brown Field House in Annapolis.
The Mids (8-3), started off the match strong by scoring the opening three points of the match, but quickly trailed by the score of 8-4. Wagner (1-8) soon held a 17-13 advantage until four consecutive points allowed the Mids to knot the set at 17-17. Navy would take a 21-19 lead, but then found itself tied at 22-22. The two teams traded the next four points to make the score 24-24, with the last Wagner point erasing a Navy set point opportunity. Abbie Merkl (Jr., Upper Marlboro, Md.) would knock down a kill to give the Mids a 25-24 lead, then Krista Eschelman (Jr., Germantown, Md.) recorded a kill of her own to give the Mids the opening set 26-24 win.
Navy held a lead of 12-6 midway through the second set, but the Seahawks soon tied the set at 12-12. The Mids soon went on a 4-0 run to build a 20-16 advantage, but Wagner closed the set with a 9-1 run to even the match at one set apiece with the 25-21 win.
The Mids totaled 15 kills in the second set to Wagner's eight, but Navy committed 12 attack errors in the set to just two for the Seahawks.
Navy again built a five-point lead early in the third set at 10-5, and again Wagner answered back and tied the set at 16-16. Navy soon held a 22-19 lead, which was erased by four consecutive points by the Seahawks. The Mids tied the set on a block, then Alexa Gibbs (Sr., Springfield, Ill.) connected on back-to-back kills to give the Mids a 25-23 win.
The Mids held a slim 11-9 lead in the third set until putting together a 6-0 run to finally put away the Seahawks for a 25-16 victory.
"I was not pleased with how we started the match," said Navy head coach Mike Schwob. "Wagner was the team who brought the intensity and the execution tonight. We didn't match them until late, but once we did I was happy we continued it through the remainder of the match and were able to come away with the win."
Navy totaled a .150 attack percentage in the match, as well as 80 digs, nine service aces and 5.0 team blocks. Wagner, in turn, posted a .086 attack percentage, 61 digs, six aces and 12.0 team blocks.
Gibbs led all players in the match with 17 kills and five service aces, with teammate Jessie Sims (Sr., Etowah, N.C.) tallying 10 kills and a Navy-best 16 digs. Wagner was led by Stephanie Robinett's 11 kills, Rebecca Prado's 20 digs and Micaela McDonald's six blocks.
Navy will next play Tuesday night when the Mids travel to Baltimore to face Coppin State in a 6 p.m. match.
