Oct. 24, 2009
Box Score
ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- A pair of slow starts cost the Navy volleyball team in a five-set loss to Lehigh Saturday afternoon at the Wesley A. Brown Field House in Annapolis. The Mountain Hawks would prevail over the Mids by scores of 22-25, 25-22, 19-25, 25-20 and 15-8.
After Navy (1-8 Patriot League) closed the third set on a 6-1 run to win the frame, the Mids quickly fell behind by scores of 4-0 and 9-3 at the start of the fourth set. The Mountain Hawks (4-5) would hold a lead of as many as nine points before Navy regained some of its rhythm towards the end of the set.
However, that strong play by the Mids did not carry over into the start of the fifth set as an early 3-0 run gave Lehigh a 5-2 advantage. Navy climbed back to within two points at both 7-5 and 8-6, but Lehigh scored the next three points to take an insurmountable 11-6 lead.
"This was a disappointing and frustrating loss," said Navy head coach Mike Schwob. "We did so many things well. These little lulls at the start of sets continue to make us work too hard out there. We let a great chance to take complete control of the match get away from us with how we started the fourth set. We had all of the momentum but didn't take advantage of it."
Navy totaled more kills (64-57), aces (5-4) and digs (66-57) than Lehigh did, while the Mountain Hawks held an 11-7 advantage over the Mids in blocks. Additionally, thanks to holding a hitting percentage lead of .500-.190 in the fifth set, Lehigh outhit Navy on the afternoon, .221-.207.
Navy's Krista Eschelman (Sr., Germantown, Md.) totaled 17 kills, with Maida Kalic' (So., Vernon, N.Y.) and Meghan Carpenter (So., Frederick, Md.) tallying 14 and 13 kills, respectively. Defensively for the Mids, Holly Beger (So., Claremont, Calif.) hauled in 11 digs, Jenny Rudewicz (Jr., Winter Garden, Fla.) grabbed 10 digs, and Kalic' posted four blocks.
Lehigh's Chelsea Sheridan recorded 17 kills to lead the Mountain Hawks.
Navy will next play Thursday night at American.
