Final Stats

WEST POINT, N.Y. -- Army West Point held off the Navy volleyball team 15-13 in the fifth set to edge the Mids in the annual Star Match between the teams. The Black Knights won the first two sets by scores of 25-21 and 25-17 before the Mids won sets three and four by scores of 25-20 and 25-19 to force the final frame.

The match was Navy's second five-set contest in as many days, as well as the fifth time the Mids have gone to five sets in the last seven matches.

"This is my 39th season of coaching volleyball," said Navy head coach Larry Bock, "and I can't remember a team going through a run of so many close sets and matches as we have played this year and not have something on their record to show for that effort. To say we are due for something to break our way with the effort we have put in and the obstacles we have overcome is the understatement of the year.

"This was as good of a match as we have played in some time. This team felt crushed after our match last night at Holy Cross (a five-set loss by Navy). Then we go down 0-2 in a very hostile environment against a very athletic, physical team. We just battled all night. It was a remarkable display of heart and will by our team to never give up and keep going to the very end."

The Black Knights (13-6, 5-1) took a 9-6 lead in the final set before the Mids (2-17, 0-6) tied the score at 10-10. The home team then ran off the next three points before a kill by Dorothy Murray (So., Harbor City, Calif.) and a service ace by Rachel Fortner (So., Villa Hills, Ky.) pulled the Mids to within one point (13-12). Army West Point reached 14 points on a Fortner service error, but a kill from Maggie Phillips (So., Leesburg, Va.) made the score 14-13. Phillips dropped back to the service line and committed an error to close out the over two-hour match.

"Rachel and Maggie both made great plays to keep us going right before they went back to serve, and we can't forget those plays in the aftermath," said Bock. "Those two are shattered right now."

Phillips led all players in the match and established a new career high for kills with 21 and tied the match lead with two service aces. Teammate Hannah Hirzel (Fr., Fullerton, Calif.) contributed 12 kills, a .524 hitting percentage and four blocks, Murray posted 17 kills while Sydney Shearn (Fr., Louisville, Ky.) grabbed a match-best 28 digs.

Navy as a team knocked down 67 kills to 58 for the Black Knights, while also posting advantages of 74-60 in digs and 6-3 in aces. Army West Point held a 10-5 edge in blocks, which allowed the Black Knights to outhit the Mids, .261-.225.

Navy will play host to Loyola Friday and Lafayette Oct. 17 in the Wesley A. Brown Field House.