ANNAPOLIS, Md. –– The Navy volleyball team saw its lengthy winning streak come to an end Friday night when the second-place Mids (17-7, 9-2 Patriot League) dropped a 25-20, 25-14, 25-23 decision to first-place American (17-9, 11-0) at the Wesley A. Brown Field House in Annapolis.
 
The result ends Navy's six-match winning streak and its eight-match home winning streak.  Meanwhile, American improved its record to 97-4 against Patriot League foes since the start of the 2013 season.  The most recent loss for the Eagles was a four-set defeat to the Mids when the teams played in Annapolis during the 2017 season.
 
"American played an extremely sharp match," said Navy head coach Paco Labrador.
 
American edged its way out to an 11-6 lead early in set one, but Navy ran off the next seven points to take a 13-11 lead.  The score would be tied at 14-14, 15-15, 16-16 and 18-18.  The Eagles promptly scored five of the next six points to take a 23-19 advantage on their way to winning the opening frame.
 
Navy totaled 15 kills in the first set and limited American to 12, but the Eagles forced the Mids into 12 attack errors while committing just two of their own.  Six of the 12 Navy hitting errors came on American blocks, while the Mids did not tally a block off the Eagles in the set.
 
American took command of set two immediately as the Eagles jumped out to 7-0 and 12-3 leads.
 
The Eagles tried to separate early in set three, but the Mids reeled them back in.  American held leads of 10-6, 13-8, 15-10 and 18-13 before Navy closed to within one point at 18-17.  American posted back-to-back points to stretch its lead out to 20-17.  The teams traded the next four points –– 22-19 –– before Navy was able to tie the score at 22-22.  A blocking error by Navy gave the Eagles a one-point lead, then an American kill took the visitors to match point with a 24-22 lead.  A Navy kill staved off one opportunity for the Eagles to win the match, but they converted on the next chance with a kill.
 
"I'm proud of our persistence late into set three," said Labrador.
 
American outhit Navy in the match, .367-.119.  The Eagles notched only five more kills than the Mids did –– 45-40 –– but Navy had a whopping 26 attack errors while American recorded just nine such errors.  Adding to the disparity was American holding an 11-4 advantage over Navy in blocks.
 
Olivia Rozmus (Jr., Chicago, Ill.) led the Navy offense with a career-high 12 kills to go along with a robust .348 attack percentage.  However, she was the lone Mid to post at least six kills in the match.  Defensively, Sydney Shearn (Sr., Louisville, Ky.) grabbed 13 digs for the Mids.
 
Two-time Patriot League Player of the Year Alexsandra Kazala recorded 18 kills for American –– 16 coming in the last two sets –– and posted a .417 attack percentage. 
 
Navy will play its remaining five matches of the season on the road.  That stretch begins Sunday with a 2 p.m. match at Loyola. 
 
"We will regroup tomorrow and get back to work, preparing for an equally aggressive Loyola team," said Labrador.