ANNAPOLIS, Md. –– A great hitting night by Avery Stowell (Sr., Yorba Linda, Calif.) was not enough for the Navy volleyball team as the Mids (7-10, 3-5 Patriot League) lost a 25-22, 25-19, 25-23 decision to American (10-10, 4-4), Wednesday night at the Wesley A. Brown Field House in Annapolis.

"We really leaned on Avery tonight," said Navy head coach Paco Labrador.  "She really came ready to play."

The score was tied 23 times and the lead changed hands 10 times during the 99 minute match.

The opening set was tied nine times, with the last coming at 15-15.  The Eagles scored the next two points on their way to taking a 20-16 advantage.  The Mids drew to within two points at 21-19, 22-20 and 23-21, then a kill by Ashley Warren (So., Pennington, N.J.) made the score 23-22.  American posted a block on the next point to be able to serve for the set.  A kill by the Eagles gave them a 1-0 advantage.

American held a 9-8 lead early in the second set when it went on a 4-0 run that boosted its lead to 13-8.  Navy closed to within three points at 13-10 and 14-11, but that was followed by the Eagles going on another 4-0 spurt to jump in front, 18-11.  

The third set saw the Eagles increase their lead from 14-13 to 17-13.  It soon was a five-point margin at 20-15 and 21-16, but then Navy put together a rally of its own.  The Mids scored the next six points to take a 22-21 advantage.  Maggie Bodman (So., Northbrook, Ill.) started the run with a kill, then Cami Herman (Sr., Brookfield, Wis.) knocked down a kill off her own dig.  That was followed by Rilee Sherman (So., Ciboli, Texas) dropping in a service ace and American calling timeout.  An American attack error followed the stoppage in play, then a block by the tandem of Anna Klemeyer (So., Sarasota, Fla.) and Averi Miller (So., Phoenix, Ariz.) tied the set at 22-22.  Stowell tallied a kill on the next point to give the Mids the lead and result in the Eagles using their second timeout.

The Eagles posted back-to-back kills after the break to regain the lead, 23-22, which resulted in a Navy timeout.  Miller and Klemeyer promptly combined on another block to tie the score at 23-23, but an American kill gave the Eagles a 24-23 lead and the serve.  An ace by Chiara Bosetti ended the contest.

American held advantages of 45-31 in kills, .208-.132 in attack percentage, 7-4 in aces and 55-47 in digs.  Navy had one of its better blocking nights of the season as the Mids held a 10-6 edge in blocks.

Stowell registered 14 kills and just one attack error on 35 kills for a .371 attack percentage.  Her 14 kills are the most she has posted in a three-set match in her career and fell just short of her season high of 16 kills which she set in a five-set match.

Kimberly Lynch (Sr., Murrietta, Calif.) with 13 digs and Herman with 10 digs led the Navy passers, while Klemeyer totaled a team-high five blocks.

Navy will play Saturday afternoon at Holy Cross.