Final Stats

ANNAPOLIS, Md. â€"â€" American ran its winning streak in Patriot League regular season matches to 27 in a row with a three-set victory over the Navy volleyball team Tuesday night at the Wesley A. Brown Field House in Annapolis. The Eagles (21-6, 11-0 Patriot League), who have posted an 81-5 record in sets their during 27-match run of success, recorded a 25-22, 25-16, 28-26 victory over the Mids (17-6, 7-4).

The loss by the Mids ended a six-match winning streak for the squad. The last defeat for the Mids was a four-set loss to American three weeks ago this evening. Navy handed American its lone loss in a set during its 11-match league slate to date that night in Washington, D.C.

"Our team was fighting the whole time," said Navy head coach Larry Bock. "You could just feel the effort of the players trying to pull the weight of American. Nevertheless, we were a little imprecise and American is a team in which you have to be more precise and play with a little more pep. This wasn't the night where we had that."

Both offenses were clicking in the opening set as the Eagles would end the frame hitting .400 and the Mids hit at a .308 clip. The score would be tied 12 times in the set, with the last deadlock coming at 21-21. American notched the ensuing three points on a kill, a block and a Navy blocking error to build a 24-21 advantage. Navy staved off one set point against it on a kill by Tara Dotzauer (Jr., Raleigh, N.C.), but another American kill closed out the set.

American outhit the Mids .357-.067 in winning the second set. The Eagles led by just one point early on at 5-4, but eventually expanded its cushion out to 18-9 to take control.

The third set saw the lead change hands five times and the score tied nine times. Navy took a 22-15 lead only to see American quickly climb to within one point at 23-22. Dorothy Murray (Jr., Harbor City, Calif.) recorded a kill to take the Mids to set point (24-23), but the Eagles tallied a kill and block to tie the score at 24-24. A Navy attack error gave American its first match point opportunity, but another kill by Murray tied the score at 25-25.

American's Shannon Webb gave the Eagles another serve for the match with a kill (26-25), which was again answered by a kill from Murray (26-26). Webb responded with another kill, and this time the Eagles converted the opportunity to win the match on a kill from Aleksandra Kazala.

"This was a match and especially a third set where this team played their hearts out to get a lead," said Bock. "It is up to us as coaches to help them preserve it, even against an American team that when it get rolling as it did late in the third set it is like trying to stop a boulder heading down a steep slope at full steam. We will figure it out, but obviously it is too late for today."

Outside of hitting percentage, where American held a .300-.181 advantage, the final statistics between the two teams were very similar. The Eagles held slight leads in kills (43-39), aces (5-3) and blocks, with the Mids holding an equally small advantage in digs (32-30).

Dotzauer continued her strong play of late by tying her career high of 16 kills. Her lone previous effort with 16 kills was in a five-set match last season. She also hit .333 on her 30 swings and added a pair of blocks.

Pacing all passers in the match was Navy libero Sydney Shrean (So., Louisville, Ky.) with 12 digs.

"There were many bright spots for us," said Bock, "starting with Tara. You can see the confidence she is playing with right now. Katie Patrick (So., Aurora, Colo.) was solid in the middle for us (seven kills, hit .357, two blocks), and Olivia Kluger (Jr., Carmel, Ind.) was just the heart and soul of our serve receive and passing."

Webb recorded 18 kills and a.455 attack percentage to lead all players in both categories.

Navy will close the home portion of its season Friday night when the Mids play host to Colgate at 7 p.m. in Alumni Hall. The Raiders enter the match in second place in the Patriot League with an 8-2 record. One of their wins was a four-set â€"â€" 25-23, 23-25, 25-20, 25-17 â€"â€" victory over the Mids Sept. 30 in Hamilton, N.Y.

"We have a big match coming up Friday against a very good, very hot Colgate team," said Bock. "Our team has bounced back all season long, and we'll be ready to go again in just a few days time."

Patriot League Standings (16-match season)
1. 11-0 American
2. 8-2 Colgate
3. 7-3 Army West Point
T4. 7-4 Lehigh (Lehigh holds the tiebreaker with Navy: 5-4 edge in head-to-head sets played)
T4. 7-4 Navy
T6. 2-8 Bucknell
T6. 2-8 Holy Cross
T6. 2-8 Loyola
9. 1-9 Lafayette