BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- Lehigh overcame sizable deficits to win sets two and three and then took an early lead in set five it would not relinquish to defeat the Navy volleyball team, 17-25, 25-23, 25-23, 15-25, 15-7, Friday night in Bethlehem, Pa.

With the outcome the Mids (11-4, 3-3) have lost back-to-back matches for the first time this season and the Mountain Hawks (10-8, 2-5) stopped a five-match losing streak.

Navy has now played three-straight five-set matches for the first time in four years.  Additionally, each of the last three and five of the last six Navy-Lehigh matches to be played in Bethlehem have gone five sets.

"This was a match where the little plays that don't show up in a box score made a huge difference when you are on the road against a physical team such as Lehigh," said Navy head coach Paco Labrador.  "If we make a handful more of the routine plays, I think it is a different match."

Set One
Neither team was able to take a comfortable lead in the early part of the set.  Lehigh held a 14-13 advantage when the Mids scored the next five points to jump in front, 18-14.  The cushion grew to 21-15 and 24-16 before the end of the frame.

Navy totaled 13 kills and just four attack errors in contrast to Lehigh's nine kills and eight attack errors.

Set Two
The score was tied at 17-17 when Navy went on a 5-0 run.  The Mids still led, 23-20, when the Mountain Hawks scored five-straight points to rally for the win.

Navy hit just .105 in the frame and allowed Lehigh to hit .273. 

Set Three
Navy had a great start to the set as the Mids took leads of 10-5 and 13-6.  Lehigh answered with a 9-0 run to take a 15-13 advantage.  The Mids regained an 18-16 lead with a 4-0 run of their own.  The score would be tied at 18-18, 19-19 and 20-20.  Navy took a 21-20 lead only to see Lehigh score the next three points to take a 23-21 lead.  Two sideouts made the score 24-22 in favor of the Mountain Hawks.  Navy fought off one set point but Lehigh converted on its next chance to win the set.

Set Four
Once again the Mids had a solid start to the frame as they took a 13-7 lead.  The cushion grew to 19-12 before the Mountain Hawks winnowed it to a 19-15 difference.  Navy responded with a 6-0 run to close the set and send the match to a fifth set.

Set Five
The teams traded sideouts through the first six points of the frame, then Lehigh went on a 4-0 run to take a 7-3 lead.  Navy was able to close to within three points at 8-5, but it soon became a 13-6 lead for the Mountain Hawks.

Navy recorded three kills and five attack errors and did not score a point on any of its seven serves in the set.  Lehigh posted seven kills against just three attack errors and scored points on eight of its 15 serves.

Statistical Notes
The only noticeable statistical differences between the teams were in aces, a 9-4 lead for the Mids, and blocks, an 11-8 lead for the Mountain Hawks.

Individually, Jordan Llewellyn was one of four Mids to total double figure kills with her team-high 17.  Maggie Bodman, Anna Klemeyer and Jamie Llewellyn each had 11.  Klemeyer hit .529 in the match and Bodman hit .400.  Each Llewellyn had double-doubles as Jamie led Jordan, 16-14.  Hannah Hoover's 19 digs led the team while Arleigh Hanson grabbed 12 digs.  Hanson and Jamie Llewellyn also added three aces.

"Maggie and Anna did a great job of hitting smart and finding ways to score," said Labrador.

Up Next
Navy travels to West Point for a Saturday match at Army (7 p.m.).