ANNAPOLIS, Md. –– Lafayette never the Navy volleyball team get into a consistent rhythm in a four-set victory by the Leopards (9-7, 6-2 Patriot League) over the Mids (7-9, 3-4), Saturday night at the Wesley A. Brown Field House in Annapolis.  Lafayette defeated Navy, 25-13, 25-23, 19-25, 25-21.

"Lafayette showed why they are one of the top teams in the Patriot League this year," said Navy head coach Paco Labrador.

The Leopards cruised to a first-set victory despite recording just one more kill than the Mids, 11-10.  The difference in the frame was Navy tallying 11 attack errors (-.029 attack percentage) and Lafayette posting just one (.435).

Lafayette took an early 4-1 lead at the start of the second set, but the largest lead for the Leopards over the remainder of the set was four points.  The Mids were able to close to within one point at 23-22, and then had two swings on the next point to tie the score but Lafayette dug the former and Navy had an attack error on the latter.  A Navy kill on the next point made the score 24-23, but another attack error by the Mids closed the set.

Navy played a great set in the third frame as it never trailed and led by as many as 10 points in forcing a fourth set.

The most competitive set was the fourth one as the score was tied five times and the lead changed hands twice. Back-to-back Lafayette kills gave the Leopards a 23-21 lead.  Navy scored the next point on a Lafayette service error, but the Leopards scored the next two points on kills to end the match.

Navy ended the night with one more kill than Lafayette, 49-48, but the Mids committed nearly twice as many attack errors as the Leopards, 31-16.  

Jordan Llewellyn (So., Port Deposit, Md.) led Navy's offense with 12 kills, Kimberly Lynch (Sr., Murrietta, Calif.) grabbed 17 digs and Averi Miller (So., Phoenix, Ariz.) recorded 40 assists and five blocks.

Navy will close its three-match homestand Wednesday when it plays host to American.

"We will take the positives from tonight and build upon them as we have a short turnaround to face a tall and physical American team Wednesday," said Labrador.