ANNAPOLIS, Md. –– A victory over Dartmouth and a loss to Villanova concluded play for the Navy volleyball team at the Kristen Dickmann Invitational Saturday at the Wesley A. Brown Field House in Annapolis.  The Mids (3-3) began the day with a four-set (25-18, 22-25, 25-16, 27-25) win over the Big Green (0-2) and ended it with a three-set (25-19, 26-24, 25-15) loss to Villanova (5-1). 
 
"We took some great steps forward this weekend," said Navy head coach Paco Labrador.
 
Navy began play at its annual tournament with a four-set loss to Alabama on Friday.  The Crimson Tide left Annapolis with a 3-0 record on the weekend to win the round-robin tournament title.
 
The Mids jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first set of its Saturday morning match against the Big Green and would open up a 15-7 advantage.  Dartmouth rallied and soon closed to within one point at 16-15.  Paige Miles (Jr., Oklahoma City, Okla.) set Katie Patrick (Sr., Aurora, Colo.) for a kill, which started a run that gave the Mids a 20-15 lead.  That was more than enough of a cushion for Navy to win the first set.
 
The second set saw the score tied nine times and lead change hands twice.  The last tie came when the Navy duo of Sarena Seelbach (Jr., Chapel Hill, N.C.) and Oivia Rozmus (Jr., Chicago, Ill.) teamed for a block to make the score 22-22.  Dartmouth notched three-straight kills to close out the frame and even the proceedings.
 
The third set was similar to the first in that Navy took early 4-0 and 5-1 leads.  This time, the Mids were able to maintain some distance from the Big Green to take a 2-1 lead in stanzas.
 
Navy spent the majority of the fourth set rallying from somewhat uncomfortable deficits.  Dartmouth held leads of 12-3, 17-12, 22-17 and 23-19.  The Miles to Patrick connection worked again to make the score 23-20, then a solo block by Patrick pulled the Mids to within 23-21.  Navy climbed even closer when Mattingly dropped in an ace on the ensuing serve, with the Mids tying the score at 23-23 on a combo block by Patrick and Rozmus.
 
The Big Green would take a 24-23 on a kill, but the Mids staved off the set-point against them on a Dartmouth service error.  The visitors would earn a second serve for the set on another kill, but this time Mattingly fed Patrick for a kill to make the score 25-25.  Sydney Shearn (Sr., Louisville, Ky.) stepped back to serve and, like her club teammate Mattingly, delivered an ace to take the Mids to match point.  Shearn would eventually set Rozmus for a kill to end the nearly two-hour match.
 
"I'm proud of how we found a way to grind out the Dartmouth win," said Labrador.
 
Navy held statistical leads over Dartmouth in hitting percentage (.245-.181), kills (61-48) and digs (76-65), with the Big Green leading the Mids in aces (6-4) and blocks (12-10).
 
Setters Mattingly (36 assists) and Miles (11) and libero Shearn (7) successfully dished the ball around the Navy hitters.  Patrick totaled 14 kills and hit .480, her fellow middle hitter Seelbach posted 13 kills and hit .370 and outside hitter Maddi Sgattoni (So., Pittsburgh, Pa.) added 12 kills.  Defensively, Shearn led all players with 21 digs, Sgattoni snared 15 digs for a double-double, Kim Lynch (Fr., Murrieta, Calif.) had 13 digs.  Also, Seelbach and Rozmus each totaled five blocks and Patrick posted four blocks.
 
Saturday night, Villanova went on a run in the middle of the first set to take control of the frame.  The score was tied at 12-12 when the Wildcats tallied nine of the next 10 points to take a 21-13 advantage on their way to winning the opening set.
 
The second stanza was much tighter as the score would be tied 13 times and lead was exchanged eight times.  This was despite Villanova jumping out to a 5-1 lead at the very beginning of the set.  Navy quickly answered by taking an 8-7 lead.  The teams jockeyed back-and forth until Villanova took a 20-17 lead.  Back came Navy and the Mids were able to tie the score at 20-20. 
 
After the next three points resulted in sideouts, Navy tallied back-to-back points to take a 23-22 lead.  A Villanova kill tied the score again, then an Avery Haydu (Fr., Allen, Texas) kill took the Mids to set point with a 24-23 lead.  That lead was followed by a Villanova kill, a Villanova block and a Villanova ace to give the Wildcats the second set.
 
Villanova carried that momentum into the third set as it outhit Navy, .269-.120 –– even though both teams had 10 kills –– to win the frame and the match.
 
"Villanova served us tough all night," said Labrador, "but our passers battled and kept us in it."
 
Both teams made 120 swings in the match, but Villanova totaled 37 kills and 13 attack errors against Navy's 33 kills and 22 hitting errors.  That allowed the Wildcats to outhit the Mids, .200-.092.
 
The remainder of the statistics between the teams were very similar as both recorded 58 digs and Villanova held slim leads of 7-4 in aces and 6-5 in blocks.
 
Mattingly recorded another double-double of 19 assists and 15 digs.  Nine of those 15 digs came in the first set alone.  Sgattoni reached double figures in kills for the second time in as many matches on the day with 10 kills, which led the Navy offense.  Shearn would again lead all passers in the match with 18 digs, and Patrick shared the match lead with three blocks.
 
Mattingly was selected as Navy's representative on the all-tournament team.
 
"Patricia was superb this weekend in every aspect of the game," said Labrador.  "She blocked extremely well, dug everything that came to her and ran a great offense."
 
Navy will be back in the Wesley A. Brown Field House Tuesday night when the Mids play host to George Mason at 7 p.m.
 
Kristen Dickmann Invitational Summary
Tournament Champion – Alabama
Tournament MVP - Doris Carter, Alabama
Alabama All-Tournament Team - Quincey Gary
Dartmouth All-Tournament Team - Francesca Meldrum
Navy All-Tournament Team - Patricia Mattingly
Villanova All-Tournament Team - Allie Olsonosky
Match Results
Villanova def. Dartmouth, 3-0 (25-16, 25-16, 25-18)
Alabama def. Navy, 3-1 (28-26, 23-25, 25-19, 25-23)
Navy def. Dartmouth, 3-1 (25-18, 22-25, 25-16, 27-25)
Alabama def. Villanova, 3-2 (22-25, 24-26, 25-23, 25-22, 15-7)
Alabama def. Dartmouth, 3-0 (25-17, 25-20, 25-17)
Villanova def. Navy, 3-0 (25-19, 26-24, 25-15)