ANNAPOLIS, Md. –– Double-doubles by Maddi Sgattoni (Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa.), Amanda Montag (Jr., Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.) and Paige Miles (Sr., Oklahoma City, Okla.) powered the Navy volleyball team past Loyola in four sets, Sunday afternoon at the Wesley A. Brown Field House in Annapolis.  The Mids (14-10, 9-4 Patriot League) defeated the Greyhounds (12-16, 5-9), 25-19, 23-25, 25-22, 25-20.
 
Ten of the 19 sets played in the five matches between Navy and Loyola since the start of the 2018 season have been decided by either two or three points.
 
"We had some great 'step-up' moments today," said Navy head coach Paco Labrador.  "Maddi really bailed us out of some tough plays."
 
Navy's win assured it of finishing in either third or fourth place in the final Patriot League regular season standings.  That means the Mids will play host to a quarterfinal round match on Tuesday, Nov. 19.  Navy precariously remains in third place ahead of fourth-place Army (9-5).  The Black Knights hold the advantage over the Mids should the teams end the year tied.
 
The opening set was tied at 9-9 when Navy went on an 11-2 run to build a 20-12 advantage.  Navy outhit Loyola, .270-.163 in the first set as the Mids totaled just two attack errors. 
 
Navy seemed to carry that momentum over into set number two as it quickly took a 5-1 advantage.  Loyola regrouped and soon took a 7-5 lead.  The score would be tied at each point from nine through 14, then the Greyhounds took a 17-14 lead.  Back came the Mids and soon they were in front, 18-17 and 20-18.  Loyola responded with a 4-0 run to regain the advantage at 22-20.  The teams traded sideouts until an ace by Miles tied the score at 23-23.  Loyola would tally back-to-back kills to even the match at one set each.
 
The Greyhounds dictated play in the early part of set three, taking leads of 8-4, 10-5 and 11-6.  Navy tied the score with a 5-0 run, only to again fall behind, 14-11.  That led to a timeout by Labrador.  Sgattoni recorded a kill after the stoppage in play, and that started a 6-0 run that put the Mids in front, 17-14.  The last three points of that spurt came by way of service aces from Sgattoni.
 
The teams again played a stretch of sideout volleyball that kept the margin either two or three points until Miles recorded a kill to expand the lead out to 22-18.  Navy soon reached set point with a 24-19 lead on an ace by Taylor Gray (So., Huntington Beach, Calif.).  The Greyhounds scored the next three points to close to within two points at 24-22, but Sgattoni knocked down a kill to close out the set.
 
The fourth set was another close one as the score was tied at each point from 10 through 17.  A Loyola attack error broke the tie, then Avery Stowell (So., Yorba Linda, Calif.) tallied a kill to give Navy a 19-17 lead.  The teams traded the next two points, then another Loyola attack error made the score 21-18.  Stowell promptly dropped in an ace to make the margin four points.  The teams would again exchange points until a block by Sgattoni secured the match for the Mids.
 
Navy recorded a higher hitting percentage than Loyola in just two of the four sets but ended with a .252-.194 overall advantage.  Servers from both teams had great days as the Mids finished with 11 aces against just three errors and the Greyhounds produced 10 aces against only five errors.
 
"Our servers were sharp and executed the game plan well," said Labrador.
 
Loyola held leads over Navy in both kills (56-53) and digs (70-61), but Navy had the advantage in blocks (8-3).
 
Individually, Sgattoni finished with 14 kills, 13 digs and three aces, Montag totaled 12 kills, 12 digs and two aces and Miles produced 39 assists and 11 digs.  Additionally, Stowell added 13 kills, five blocks and two aces.
 
Navy will play three matches over the last six days of the regular season.  That arduous span begins Tuesday night with a match at Bucknell.
 
"We have to recover quickly and be ready for Bucknell," said Labrador.  "They are a challenging team to face, especially on their home floor."
 
Current Patriot League Standings (Remaining Matches)
13-1 American (Holy Cross, Lafayette)
13-1 Colgate (at Navy, at Bucknell)
9-4 Navy (at Bucknell, Colgate, Lafayette)
9-5 Army (at Lafayette, at Loyola)
6-8 Lehigh (Loyola, at Holy Cross)
5-9 Loyola (at Lehigh, Army)
3-11 Bucknell (Navy, Colgate)
2-11 Lafayette (Army, at American, at Navy)
2-12 Holy Cross (at American, Lehigh)