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ANNAPOLIS, Md. –– Setter Paige Miles (Sr., Oklahoma, City, Okla.) led the Navy volleyball team in assists, digs and aces and ranked third on the team in kills during a 3-0 victory by the Mids (9-8, 4-2 Patriot League) over Bucknell (13-6, 2-5), Tuesday night at the Wesley A. Brown Field House in Annapolis.  Navy prevailed over the Bison by set scores of 25-16, 25-23 and 25-19.
 
"It was a typical Patriot League match," said Navy head coach Paco Labrador.  "Every point is up for grabs and both teams are going to scratch and claw for each one.  It is imperative that teams are both physically and mentally tough to withstand the lengthy points and swings of emotions.  We did a pretty good job of that for most of the match."   
 
Navy held a 7-6 lead in the opening set before slowly expanding it to 15-7, with many of those points coming by way of strong serving by Miles and Taylor Gray (So., Huntington Beach, Calif.).  Gray stepped to the service line with the Mids holding a 10-7 advantage; her last offering came with the lead stretched out to 15-7.  Navy would hit .300 and limit the Bison to a mark of .033 in winning the first frame.
 
There was a noticeable increase in the energy and the level of play for both teams right from the start of the second set.  Navy climbed out to an 8-3 lead only to see Bucknell eventually tie the score at 16-16.  The Mids regained the lead, but were not able to expand it beyond two points until a Bucknell service error, an attack error by the Bison and an ace by Maddi Sgattoni (Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa.) gave Navy a 23-19 lead.  That cushion quickly evaporated down to one point at 23-22.  Melissa Carter (Sr., Pittsburgh, Pa.) next knocked down a Bucknell overpass to take the Mids to set point with a 24-22 lead.  Amanda Montag (Jr., Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.) committed an attack error on the ensuing point, but she followed that with a kill to give the second stanza to the Mids.
 
Navy jumped out to leads of 3-1 and 9-3 at the start of set three, with Tessa Bohn (Fr., Nokomis, Fla.) serving four-straight points for the Mids during that span.  The margin grew to 18-11 and 20-13, which was enough of a lead for Navy to close out the 90-minute match.
 
The Mids were able to score on 40 of the 59 serves by the Bison (67%) and allowed Bucknell to score just 39 points on the 75 Navy serves (51%).  Navy also held advantages over Bucknell in kills (41-31), hitting percentage (.238-.106), aces (8-3), digs (45-39) and blocks (7-6).
 
Miles registered a double-double of 31 assists and 13 digs and added five kills on eight attempts and three aces.
 
"Paige played a very effective match," said Labrador.  "Her ability to turn herself into a hitter adds a great dimension to our offense.  And not only was her defense strong, when someone else had to become a setter in her place we still were able to come away with decent swings on the ball.  A lot of that is court awareness, and a lot of that is court confidence in their teammates."
 
Montag with 10 kills and Sgattoni with nine paced the Navy offense.  Defensively, Carter tallied five blocks and Emily Solis (Sr., Leesburg, Va.) snared nine digs.
 
Navy will head back out on the road for a Friday night match at Colgate.  The Raiders are atop the league standings with a 6-0 record.