Final Stats

WEST POINT, N.Y. â€"â€" Army West Point used a 5-0 run in the middle of the fifth set to edge the Navy volleyball team, 25-20, 23-25, 25-17, 22-25, 15-10, Saturday night at Gillis Field House in West Point, N.Y. It is the second year in a row the Black Knights (18-10, 10-4 Patriot League) have defeated the Mids (18-8, 8-6)) in five sets at the venue.

The loss by the Mids coupled with Lehigh handing American its first league loss of the season earlier in the day complicated the playoff picture for Navy. The Mountain Hawks and the Mids are now tied for fourth place in the standings with identical records of 8-6 with just one weekend and two matches remaining in the season. However, Lehigh holds the tiebreaker over Navy â€"â€" the teams split the two head-to-head matches this year, but the Mountain Hawks won five sets in the matches and the Mids four â€"â€" in the race for the four-team playoff. That means Navy must finish ahead of Lehigh in the standings to gain the berth into the tournament.

"This one stings really bad on a myriad of levels," said Navy head coach Larry Bock. "It never felt as if we were in control at any time in the match. It is a testament to the character, work ethic and effort of this team that we were able to send it into a fifth set. But not seeing all of that turn into a win is one part of our disappointment.

"We were on our heels for much of the night. That's due as much to the way Army played as anything we did, especially their defense. Our defense felt like being a goalie in hockey where you face twice as many shots as the other one does. Eventually something is going to go in."

Navy held a 6-5 lead midway through the final frame when Army ran off the next five points to take a 10-5 advantage. The Black Knights scored on two kills, an attack error by the Mids and two Navy ball-handling errors. The Mids could only close to within three points at 10-7 and 13-10 before over two-hour-and-15-minute match concluded.

Army jumped in front of Navy by scores of 10-2 and 16-8 early in the first set, only to see the Mids tie the score at 17. The score would be tied at 18-18 when the Black Knights scored back-to-back points to take a 20-18 lead. It would be a one-point game at 20-19 and 21-20 before Army scored the next four points to win the opening frame.

Army led by as many as five points â€"â€" 13-8 â€"â€" early in the second set, but Navy rallied and soon tied the score at 17. The Black Knights took leads of 19-17 and 20-17 before a 3-0 spurt by the Mids gave them a 22-20 lead. The score was tied again at 22 and 23, with a kill by Gabriela Martin (Fr., Columbus, Ohio) and an ace by Olivia Kluger (Jr., Carmel, Ind.) giving Navy to victory.

The Black Knights again had a good start to the third set, this time turning a 5-5 game into a 13-7 lead. Army was able to expand its lead to as many as 10 points â€"â€" 22-12 â€"â€" on its way to winning the set.

Navy jumped out to an early 8-3 lead in the fourth set, but Army rallied and tied the frame at 16 before taking an 18-16 lead. The Black Knights would also hold leads at 19-17, 21-20 and 22-21. A kill by Dorothy Murray (Jr., Harbor City, Calif.) tied the score at 22, then back-to-back aces by Sydney Shearn (So., Louisville, Ky.) took the Mids to set point. Murray connected on another kill to send the match into a fifth set.

Army's offense totaled 64 kills and a .219 attack percentage, with Navy tallying 57 kills and a .156 hitting night. The Mids held a slim lead in both aces (5-4) and blocks (8-6), with the Black Knights having an equally small advantage in digs (89-86).

Martin led Navy's attack with both 12 kills and a .357 hitting night, while also adding four blocks. Murray reached double figures in kills with 10, while Maggie Phillips (Jr., Leesburg, Va.) knocked down nine kills. Defensively, Shearn had 22 digs, Gaby Smith (Sr., Virginia Beach, Va.) had 17, setter Patricia Mattingly had 16 and both Kluger and Darby Minton (So., Chino Hills, Calif.) had 12. Phillips led Navy's blockers with five blocks.

Army's Carolyn Bockrath led all players with 16 kills and a .452 attack percentage, while teammate Allie Strong grabbed 22 digs.

"Allie Strong was exceptional tonight," said Bock. "We sent a lot of shots toward the middle back of the court, and she grabbed almost all of them. And if they make a good pass, then their middle hitters like Bockrath are going to get good swings out there."

Lehigh closes the regular season with matches at Army West Point (Nov. 11) and Holy Cross (Nov. 12), while Navy will end the year with matches at Lafayette (Nov. 12) and at Loyola (Nov. 13).

"We can only try to control what we can control," said Bock on the playoff picture, "and that is our own matches. Yes, we need help to make the playoffs, but if we lose then what anyone else does will not matter. We'll be back at it next week ready to go."

Patriot League Standings (Remaining Matches)
1. 14-1 American (Loyola)
2. 12-3 Colgate (at Lafayette)
3. 10-4 Army West Point (Lehigh, Bucknell)
T4. 8-6 Lehigh (at Army West Point, at Holy Cross)
T4. 8-6 Navy (at Lafayette, at Loyola)
6. 4-10 Holy Cross (Bucknell, Lehigh)
T7. 3-11 Loyola (at American, Navy)
T7. 3-11 Bucknell (at Holy Cross, at Army West Point)
9. 2-12 Lafayette (Colgate, Navy)