WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Top-seeded American registered a three-set victory over the fifth-seeded Navy volleyball team, 25-12, 25-17, 25-20, Friday night at Bender Arena in Washington, D.C., in the semifinal round of the Patriot League Tournament.  The Eagles (23-4) advanced to Sunday's championship match against third-seeded Army while the 2025 season comes to a close for the Mids (14-15).

"When we could find Ava Toppin and Siena Morgan in the middle, they found some nice gaps in the block and defense," said Navy head coach Paco Labrador. "We hoped to have more diversity in our offense tonight, but American served us tough and never let us get any momentum going.

"While this was not the result we were hoping for, it does not take away from the huge strides forward we made this season.  One of the things we talk about in our gym is 'staying in it.'  I couldn't be prouder of how this team lived this phrase every day through the season.  I want to thank the senior class for their 'all in, all the time' attitude.  The program is in a better place because of their leadership."

Set One
American turned slim 8-7 and 10-8 leads into a 15-8 cushion on its way to winning the opening set.  The Eagles hit .241 in the frame and held the Mids to a (-).053 mark.

Set Two
The Eagles took four-point leads at 11-7, 12-8 and 13-9, but the Mids rallied and tied the score at 13-13.  American called timeout, then scored on a kill after the break.  A service error tied the score at 14-14, then the Eagles tallied the ensuing three points to take a 17-14 advantage and force Labrador to call a timeout of his own.

The halt in play didn't slow down American's momentum as a Navy attack error followed by a kill from the Eagles stretched the margin to 19-14.  The Mids made it a three-point difference at 20-17, but could not get any closer.

Hitting remained a deciding factor in the outcome.  The Eagles held just a 13-9 lead in kills, but also a 6-1 advantage in blocks.

Set Three
American jumped out to a 10-4 lead only to see Navy cut the deficit in half at 14-11 and then take a 15-14 lead.

The score would be tied at 15, 16, 17 and 18, then the Eagles took a 21-18 advantage.  Navy made it a two-point difference at 21-19 and 22-20, but American scored the next three points to end the match.

Statistical Summary
American held a .257-.061 advantage over Navy in hitting percentage, which was aided by a 14-3 edge in blocks by the Eagles.  American also had advantages of 39-28 in kills, 7-2 in aces and 53-46 in digs.

Navy's offense never found a rhythm as two players finished with six kills (Caroline Buffum, Morgan) and two tallied five kills (Toppin, Anuhea Hauanio-Lore).  Hauanio-Lore, Arleigh Hanson and Baylee Doolan all grabbed eight digs while Toppin and Grace Burgoyne each had two blocks.

"We have seem huge physical and skill contributions from this freshman class," said Labrador. "The first semester at the Naval Academy is a challenge in and of itself.  This class has shown the ability to thrive in the class, in the Hall and on the court.  It's an inspiring sign for years to come.

"We could not have navigated the challenges we faced this season without an exceptional staff.  Hallie Cruzen, Laughlin Murray, Shawna Lorendine and Katie Patrick have been instrumental in guiding us back into postseason play and I'm excited for the offseason skill development and hitting the road recruiting to find the next class of Navy volleyball players."