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ANNAPOLIS, Md. â€"â€" In a see-saw match, Colgate had the last run to come away with a five-set victory over the Navy volleyball team, Friday night at Alumni Hall in Annapolis. The Raiders (13-9, 9-2 Patriot League) edged the Mids (17-7, 7-5), 16-25, 25-19, 25-27, 29-27, 16-14, in a match lasting nearly two and one-half hours.

The score was tied 31 times in the last three sets â€"â€" including eight times in the abbreviated fifth set â€"â€" both teams totaled 67 kills, each had 212 attempts, Colgate held a 99-98 lead in digs and Navy outscored the Raiders by one point on the night (112-111).

"These are two tired teams," said Navy head coach Larry Bock. "We definitely had our chances tonight. We kept battling back in those last three sets. We know this team has a lot of heart, and they left it all out on the floor. It is hard to ask much more of this team, except that we use this match to make us better the next time we are in this position."

Navy never trailed in winning the first set. The Mids scored the first three and seven of the first eight points to take the early lead and never relinquished it.

Navy again had a strong start to second set, this time scoring the first four points before Colgate tied the frame at 7-7. The score would be tied again at 11-11 when the Raiders notched the next three points to jump in front, 14-11. Their advantage would slowly increase to 18-13 on their way to evening the match at one set apiece.

The opening part of the third set was close until Navy went on a 6-0 run to take a 19-13 lead. That advantage would grow to 22-14, but Colgate ran off the next eight points to tie the score at 22-22. Navy took a one-point lead, only to see Colgate tally the next two to reach set point at 24-23. The Mids staved off that opportunity against them, then reached set point of their own on a kill from Tara Dotzauer (Jr., Raleigh, N.C.). This time the Raiders held off the Mids with a kill by Kathleen Harris. Navy responded by having Dotzauer record kills on the next two points to win the set.

Colgate took early leads in the fourth set of 9-4, 14-7 and 15-11, only to see Navy score the next five points to take a 16-15 lead. The Raiders again tried to separate from the Mids as they took leads of 19-16 and 21-19, but the score was soon knotted again at 23-23. A Dotzauer kill took Navy to match point, which it could not convert, then the Mids staved off a set point against it when a Dotzauer kill tied the frame at 25-25. The teams played sideout volleyball over the next six points, which saw Colgate serve for the set at 26-25 and 27-26 before finally converting after serving at 28-27.

The Raiders took an early 4-1 lead in the final set, which soon grew to 7-4. Navy ran off the next three points to tie the score at 7-7. After another tie at 8-8, Colgate against went on a 3-0 run to build an 11-8 lead, but the Mids matched that effort and tied the score at 11-11. Colgate tallied the next point, but Navy recorded back-to-back kills from Katie Patrick (So., Aurora, Colo.) and Maggie Phillips (Jr., Leesburg, Va.) to take a 13-12 lead. After a timeout, the Raiders posted a kill to tie the score, but an attack error by the Raiders gave Navy another chance to serve for the match. A lengthy rally ensued, which ended on a Colgate kill that tied the score at 14-14. The Raiders would then have a chance to serve for the match themselves after a kill, and they closed out the contest on a block.

"There were times where our passing and digging were not what they have been this year," said Bock. "(Libero) Sydney Shrean (So., Louisville, Ky.) and (setter) Patricia Mattingly (So., New Albany, Ind.) were still able to better the ball and give our hitters good swings."

Navy narrowly outhit Colgate, .203-.179, even though the Raiders held an 11-7 edge over the Mids in blocks.

Dotzauer, who recorded a career-high 16 kills in three sets Tuesday against American, bettered that effort with 20 kills this evening. She tallied a .314 hitting percentage thanks to just four errors on her 51 attempts.

"Tara had another really strong night for us," said Bock. "She really wanted the ball."

Patrick added 11 kills for the Mids, while also leading the team with four blocks. Defensively, Shearn grabbed 28 digs, Mattingly had 20 digs and Darby Minton (So., Chino Hills, Calif.) had 19 digs.

Colgate's Harris had 21 kills and 23 digs.

Navy remained in a tie for fourth place in the Patriot League standings as Lehigh lost this evening to Bucknell. Both teams are tied with 7-5 records, though the Mountain Hawks do hold the tiebreaker over the Mids in the race for the four-team league tournament.

Navy, which is the lone league team to not play a match Saturday, will next be in action Nov. 4 at Holy Cross and Nov. 5 at Army West Point in the second to the last weekend of the regular season.

Patriot League Standings
1. 12-0 American
2. 9-2 Colgate
3. 8-3 Army West Point
T4. 7-5 Lehigh
T4. 7-5 Navy
6. 3-8 Bucknell
T7. 2-9 Holy Cross
T7. 2-9 Loyola
9. 1-10 Lafayette