ANNAPOLIS, Md. –– The block of No. 23 Michigan proved to be too much for the Navy volleyball team as the Wolverines (3-1) defeated the Mids (3-2) in four sets, Friday at the Wesley A. Brown Field House in Annapolis in the 10th edition of the Kristen Dickmann Invitational.  Michigan held a 19-3 advantage in blocks over the Mids in the 25-19, 26-28, 25-14, 25-15 match that took just under two hours to complete.

"Michigan's block was tremendous," said Navy head coach Paco Labrador.  "We didn't have an answer for that."

The second-set victory by the Mids marked the first time Navy has won a set against a nationally-ranked team.  Tonight was Navy's eighth match –– third at home –– against a team with a national ranking since the polls were established in 1982.

"I think Kristen would have been proud of how we battled tonight," said Labrador.  "Taking a set from a nationally-ranked team is a wonderful step in the right direction.  It proves what we're doing on a daily basis is working."

Michigan, which lost in three sets to West Virginia earlier in the day, opened set one by taking a 6-0 lead.  After a Navy timeout, the Mids slowly started to crawl back into the match.  Navy tied the frame at 12-12 and eventually took a 17-16 lead.  The Wolverines answered with a 4-0 run to take a 20-17 advantage.  It soon was a two-point Michigan lead at 21-19 when the Wolverines scored four-straight points to win the first set.

Set number two saw the score tied 14 times and the lead exchanged on seven occasions.  Michigan held a 17-15 lead before the Mids took a two-point lead at 19-17.  The Wolverines tied the set at 20-20, but a Michigan service error followed by a Navy ace boosted the Mids to a 22-20 lead.  Again the teams traded points (23-21), then the Wolverines tied the stanza at 23-23.  Maggie Bodman (So., Northbrook, Ill.) took Navy to set point with a kill, but that opportunity was erased by Michigan with a kill.

Another kill by the Wolverines gave the visitors their first serve to win the set (25-24).  However, a service error tied the score at 25-25.  A Navy blocking error ended the ensuing point in favor of Michigan to make the score 26-25.  Navy earned the next point on a Michigan attack error, then a kill by Avery Stowell (Sr., Yorba Linda, Calif.) gave the Mids a 27-26 lead.  The Wolverines committed an attack error on the next point to give the Mids the second set and tie the match at one set each.

The third set was tied at 3-3 when Michigan went on an 11-0 run to take a 14-3 lead, which provided enough of a cushion for the Wolverines to take a 2-1 advantage.

A 4-0 run to the start of the fourth set by Michigan was countered by Navy closing to within two points at 11-9.  The Mids were still within striking distance as they soon trailed 13-10, but the Wolverines responded with a 9-2 run to take a 22-12 advantage.

Michigan hit over .300 in each of the four sets and limited Navy to a high of .281 in the second set.  The Wolverines finished with just a 51-42 advantage in kills, but thanks to their blocks they forced the Mids into 27 attack errors and committed just 11 of their own.  That led to a .377-.121 advantage in hitting percentage for Michigan.

Leading Navy's offense was Jamie Llewellyn (So., Port Deposit, Md.) with 14 kills.  She also fell just one dig shy of a double-double.  Reaching double figures in digs was Kimberly Lynch (Sr., Murrietta, Calif.) with 11.  

"Jamie is really starting to find her rhythm on the floor," said Labrador.  "Kimberly held down our serve receive all night.  She was really dialed in for her teammates."

Navy will play host to West Virginia Saturday at 7:30 p.m.