WORCESTER, Mass. -- Amara Chambers grabbed 26 digs and Ava Toppin recorded 11 blocks as the Navy volleyball team fought off Holy Cross in five sets Friday night at Blaney Gym in Worcester, Mass.  The Mids (11-10, 7-5) won the first two sets, 25-19 and 25-16, the Crusaders (7-21, 1-11) claimed sets three and four, 25-23, and 25-21, and then took a 5-1 lead in set five before Navy rallied to end the 2-hour, 22-minute match, 15-13.

The Mids have now won five-straight matches –– three of them in five sets –– as well as six-of-their-last-seven.  Conversely, the Crusaders have suffered five league losses in matches that have been extended to five sets.

"This was the type of 'gut check' match we can be really proud of," said Navy head coach Paco Labrador.  "Holy Cross elevated every aspect of their game in sets three and four.  We stayed poised when we fell behind early in the fifth set and just kept chipping away.  This was a total team effort; everyone made plays when we needed them."

Set One
Navy raced out to a 10-3 lead at the start of the frame and held a six-point lead multiple times including at 14-8.  Holy Cross quickly narrowed the margin down to one point at 16-15, which forced a Navy timeout.  The Mids responded after the stoppage with a kill from Caroline Buffum and an ace from Baylee Doolan to regain a three-point lead.  It soon became a four-point difference at 20-16 and then again at 22-18 when the Crusaders called their second timeout.

A Holy Cross attack error made the score 23-18, which was enough of a cushion for the Mids to earn the opening set win.

Set Two
The Mids held a 6-5 lead in the early stages but then built an 11-6 lead and forced the Crusaders into a timeout.  Navy maintained a comfortable advantage over the rest of the frame to take a 2-0 lead.

Set Three
Navy took a slim lead and tried to separate, but couldn't fully do so.  The Mids were in front 9-5, 13-7 and 18-13, but the Crusaders soon made it an 18-16 score and forced a Navy timeout.

Navy took a 19-17 lead only to see Holy Cross score the next four points take a 21-19 advantage.  Back came the Mids with an attack error by the Crusaders and a kill by Toppin to tie the score at 21-21.  Aunhea Haunaio-Lore continued the run after a Holy Cross timeout with an ace.  The Crusaders tied the score at 22-22 with a kill, then an ace of their own gave them a 23-22 lead.  Another ace stretched their advantage to 24-22 and gave Holy Cross two set points.  A Toppin kill erased one chance, but a Holy Cross kill sent the match to a fourth set.

Set Four
Holy Cross held a few three-point leads in the early going, but the teams traded points for the majority of the set.  The score was tied at every point from 11 through 20 until the Crusaders used a 4-0 run to take a 23-20 lead.  A Holy Cross attack error gave the Mids the serve while trailing 23-21, but an attack error by Navy took the Crusaders to set point with a 24-21 lead.  An ace by Holy Cross forced the fifth set.

Set Five
The Crusaders continued their momentum into a 5-1 lead at the start of the fifth set.  The Mids closed to within one point at 9-8 and soon took an 11-10 lead.  Holy Cross answered with back-to-back kills to regain a 12-11 lead.  Setter Lainey Feighery notched a kill to tie the score again, then a Holy Cross attack error gave Navy a 13-12 lead.  Timeout was called by the Crusaders, and that was followed by a Navy service error to make the score 13-13.  Caroline Buffum promptly posted a kill to take Navy to match point with a 14-13 lead with Toppin ending the match on a solo block.

Statistical Summary
Holy Cross slightly led Navy in both kills (67-62) and digs (75-66), but the Mids registered 18 blocks while the Crusaders managed just six.  That resulted in Navy holding a .280-.189 advantage in hitting percentage. Holy Cross finished with 33 attack errors, more than double the 16 recorded by the Mids.

Chambers set a new career high with her 26 digs as bettered her previous high of 24 set earlier this year against Loyola.  She also added seven assists and was a perfect 16-of-16 on serve receive.

"Amara has been working really hard on her defensive range and it is paying off," said Labrador.

Toppin tied a career high with her 11 blocks and also had an errorless hitting night with 11 kills on 24 attempts for a .458 hitting percentage.  Other defensive standouts were Madeline Biuldeaux and Buffum with seven blocks apiece, Grace Burgoyne with six blocks and Feighery with 10 digs.

Offensively, Farrah Eike led the Mids with 14 kills and Burgoyne posted 10 kills.  Feighery dished out 24 assists to go along with her five digs while Isa Boyd tallied 22 assists and led Navy with a pair of aces.

Up Next
Navy heads to West Point, N.Y., for a Saturday match at Army.  First serve is slated for 7 p.m.