MORGANTOWN, W.Va. –– A marathon day on the court for the Navy (5-6) volleyball team ended with the Mids losing a pair of five-set matches to Duquesne (5-7) and West Virginia (6-5), Saturday at the WVU Coliseum in Morgantown, W.Va.  Navy fell to Duquesne, 25-20, 17-25, 23-25, 25-22, 15-12, and to West Virginia, 25-20, 25-27, 25-21, 18-25, 15-8.
 
The two matches featured 418 points (each had 209 points) and lasted a combined four hours and 57 minutes (2:22 and 2:35, respectively).
 
The last time Navy played a pair of five-set matches on the same day was Sept. 7, 2003, when the Mids beat both UNC Asheville and UMBC.  Navy also played two five-set matches on the same day on Sept. 2, 2000; Sept 1, 1995 and Sept. 21, 1991, during the program's Division I era.
 
"The matches we had this weekend were a great way for us to start to ramp us up into Patriot League play," said Navy head coach Paco Labrador.  "We learned a lot of lessons that will be a benefit to us during the league season.  We had a lot of players receive meaningful playing time in pressure situations, some for the first time in their careers.  That is a huge benefit to the team."
 
Navy fell behind Duquesne, 14-8, early in the first set.  The Mids were able to close to within one point at 18-17, but a 3-0 run by the Dukes provided all of the separation they needed to win the set.
 
Navy totaled 10 kills and 11 attack errors in the first set.  More than half of those errors came on the six blocks recorded by Duquesne.
 
The Mids jumped out to a 12-4 lead in the second set and were able to maintain a comfortable lead over the remainder of the frame.
 
Navy slowly built a 21-15 lead in the third set, but quickly found itself trailing, 22-21.  The Mids answered with a 3-0 run to regain a 24-22 advantage, then an exchange of sideouts gave the set to Navy.
 
Duquesne raced out to leads of 12-3 and 17-7 in the fourth set.  Navy rallied and closed to within 22-20, but back-to-back points allowed the Dukes to thwart the Mids and send the match into a fifth set.
 
Navy took leads of 3-0 and 4-1 in the final set, but that start was followed by a 5-0 run by Duquesne. The score would be tied at every point from six through 12.  The Dukes scored the final three points on a Navy attack error and back-to-back Duquesne kills.
 
All of the team statistics were very close.  Navy recorded 53 kills, a .127 hitting percentage, eight aces, 67 digs and nine blocks.  Duquesne posted 53 kills, a .116 hitting percentage, eight aces, 68 digs and 12 blocks.
 
Avery Stowell (So., Yorba Linda, Calif.) led Navy with 15 kills, four aces and six blocks, and Emily Solis (Sr., Leesburg, Va.) grabbed a team-high 19 digs.
 
"Even though it was a loss," said Labrador, "we battled hard and were forced to find new ways to score.  Avery Stowell found another great rhythm again.  Our young players continue to step-up when their number is called upon."
 
A few hours later, the Mids took to the court against the Mountaineers.  The first set was close until West Virginia used a 4-0 run to take a 19-15 lead.  Navy shaved off half of that deficit at 19-17, but couldn't pull any closer.
 
Navy trailed, 10-8, in set two when a 6-0 run gave the Mids a 14-10 lead.  The lead would grow to as many as five points at 18-13, then it became a 23-19 advantage.  West Virginia promptly scored the next five points to take a 24-23 lead and reach set point.  A kill by Amanda Montag (Jr., Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.) extended the match, then a Navy ball handling error allowed the Mountaineers to serve for the set a second time.  Cami Herman (So., Brookfield, Wis.) tied the set with a kill, then a West Virginia ball handling error took Navy to set point with a 26-25 lead.  Avery Haydu (So., Allen, Texas) dropped in a service ace to tie the match at one set each.
 
Set three was a close one with neither team able to separate from the other for the majority of the stanza.  The score was tied at 17-17 when back-to-back points gave the Mountaineers a 19-17 cushion.  It soon became a 22-18 lead for West Virginia, which was enough for it to hold on and win the set.
 
Navy raced out to a 23-10 lead in set four.  West Virginia scored four points in a row before a Montag kill gave the Mids a 24-14 lead.  West Virginia again went on a 4-0 run to close to within 24-18, but another Montag kill sent the match into a fifth set.
 
Set number five was tied at 3-3 when a 4-0 run gave West Virginia a 7-3 advantage.  The Mids scored the next three points to pull to within 7-6 and force a West Virginia timeout.  The Mountaineers responded with a 3-0 run to build a 10-6 lead and cause Labrador to call timeout.  West Virginia would extend their lead over the rest of the set to close out the match.
 
The Mids had one of their best blocking matches of the season as they finished with 12 blocks which doubled the blocks by the Mountaineers.  Navy also held a 9-4 edge in aces.  West Virginia, however, held a 66-53 advantage in kills and a 75-62 lead in digs.
 
Montag set a career high with 22 kills in the match.  Joining her with double figure kills were Stowell and Herman with 10 each.  Solis grabbed 15 digs, Kimberly Lynch totaled 13 digs and three aces, and Paige Miles (Sr., Oklahoma City, Okla.) registered 37 assists, 12 digs, six kills and three blocks.  Also, Sofia Hruby (Sr., Austin, Texas) had eight blocks and Stowell tallied six blocks.
 
Stowell was Navy's representative on the all-tournament team.
 
"West Virginia is a tall, physical team," said Labrador.  "I thought we did a good job of serving, which really helped our blocking and defense.  Amanda carried the load this evening.  She was hitting her way through really tough spots."
 
Navy will open Patriot League play with matches Friday at Army and next Saturday at Holy Cross.