Sept. 19, 2009

Final Stats

ELON, N.C. -- The Navy volleyball team closed out its non-conference slate of matches with a 25-13, 25-19, 25-13 loss to the tournament-host Phoenix at the Elon Volleyball Classic Saturday night at Alumni Gym in Elon, N.C.

While Navy (3-9) entered Saturday night's match having already won a match on the day -- the Mids posted a four-set win over Norfolk State -- Elon entered the contest after having suffered its first loss of the season. The Phoenix saw their record fall to 11-1 on the year with a five-set loss to Georgia State Saturday afternoon.

"Elon was a very focused team tonight," said Navy head coach Mike Schwob. "They have a very strong net game and took us out of rhythm right from the start of the match."

Elon looked to try to make up for its defeat to Georgia State right away by scoring the opening six points of the match against Navy. The Phoenix would soon expand their lead to double figures at 19-9 before the teams traded points over the remainder of the set.

Navy jumped on top of Elon at the start of the second set, by taking an early 7-2 advantage. The lead quickly evaporated, however, as the Phoenix scored the next six points to take the lead at 8-7. Elon soon turned a 12-10 advantage into a 20-10 lead over Navy. The Mids were not done, though, and cut the 10-point deficit in half when a kill from Krista Eschelman (Sr., Germantown, Md.) made the score 22-17. After the teams traded points to make the score 23-18, back-to-back kills by Elon ended the set and allowed the Phoenix to take a 2-0 lead in the match.

Elon scored four of the first five points of the third set before building a 9-5 lead over Navy. It was still a four-point game at 10-6 when the Phoenix broke the game open with a 9-3 run that made the score 19-9.

Navy attempted two more swings than Elon did on the night, but the Phoenix knocked down nine more kills than the Mids to hold a .341-.138 advantage in hitting percentage. Elon also recorded 14 service aces to just three for Navy. Both teams finished with four blocks and the Phoenix hauled in 34 digs to 30 for the Mids.

Eschelman and Meghan Carpenter (So., Frederick, Md.) both totaled seven kills in the match, with Eschelman not committing an attack error on 12 swings for an attack percentage of .582.

Carpenter, who earlier in the day knocked down a career-high 16 kills against Norfolk State, was named to the all-tournament team.

Lauren Copenhagen and Jessica Barrow both tallied eight kills in the match for Elon.

Navy will now prepare for the start of the 2009 Patriot League season, which opens next weekend with matches at Lehigh (Friday) and at Lafayette (Saturday).

"We played much better than our record indicates right now," said Schwob. "We have learned from our losses this season and it is important we continue to do so. We have to go into every match as the hungrier team. It is a tough opening to the league season next week, but we are anxious to start Patriot League play.