WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- The Navy volleyball team had its chances to extend its match against Wake Forest to a fourth set, but the Demon Deacons (2-1) put together a late rally to post a 25-17, 25-16, 25-23 victory over the Mids (0-3) Sunday at Reynolds Gym in Winston-Salem, N.C.

"Our ball control took a solid step forward," said Navy head coach Paco Labrador.  "Wake Forest had comfortable leads in sets one and two, so they could really go after us from the service line.  It's always great to play a team at a level like Wake Forest this early in the season to set a standard in our gym for the level of execution and physicality that wins sets and matches."

Set One
The score was tied at 8-8 and then again at 12-12.  The Demon Deacons scored the next four points to take a 16-12 lead.  The Mids were only able to close to within as few as three points over the remainder of the set.

Set Two
Wake Forest used a pair of early 5-0 runs to build an early 11-4 lead and was able to maintain an advantage through taking a 2-0 lead.

Set Three
The frame featured the score being tied nine times and the lead changing hands on six occasions.

Navy held a slim lead of 1-2 points for the majority of the first half of the set.  The Mids soon took three-point leads at 16-13 and 17-14. Wake Forest rallied and eventually used a 3-0 run to take its first lead of the stanza at 20-19.  A kill by Doris Nelson and an ace by Hannah Hoover made the score 21-20 in favor of Navy.

Wake Forest answered with back-to-back points (22-21), then kills from Paige Buzzerio and Grace Burgoyne gave the Mids a 23-22 lead. The Demon Deacons accounted for the next three points on a Navy attack error, a kill and an ace to close the match.

Navy's 13 kills in the set tied the team high on the weekend, with its .226 hitting percentage ranking second.  Additionally, the .088 hitting percentage posted by Wake Forest was the lowest allowed by the Mids in a set during the tournament.

Inside the Numbers
Wake Forest held a slim 38-34 lead in kills, but also a larger .258-.159 advantage in hitting percentage.  Part of that was due to the Demon Deacons also having a 9-5 cushion in blocks.  Navy did record slightly more digs, 29-27, but had three aces and six service errors to the eight aces and four service errors accrued by Wake Forest.

Anuhea Hauanio-Lore recorded a 10 kills for Navy this afternoon and also grabbed five digs to finish one shy of Hannah Hoover's team-best six.

Hoover was named to the Wake Forest Invitational all-tournament team.

Isa Boyd, who was one of two freshmen in the starting line and one of four freshmen and five newcomers to play today, dished out 16 assists.

There were five Mids who made the first start of their respective careers this weekend, a quintet which include a trio of freshmen.

"I can't say enough about our freshmen," said Labrador.  "They played a great weekend of volleyball.  It's a credit to this team culture that our freshmen are playing relaxed and confidently in some really tough matches."

Up Next
Navy will play host to the Kristen Dickmann Invitational Sept. 5-8 in the Wesley A. Brown Field House.  The Mids will play 7 p.m. matches Thursday vs. Liberty, Friday vs. UC San Diego and Saturday vs. Cornell.