Navy Volleyball Defeats Lafayette in Four Sets
The Navy volleyball team defeated Lafayette in four sets, 26-28, 25-23, 25-18, 25-22, on Friday night at the Kirby Sports Center in Easton, Pa., navysports.com reported. The Patriot League matchup featured 33 ties and 15 lead changes as the Mids secured their second four-set win over the Leopards this season.
Service Pressure and Set-by-Set Shifts
Lafayette pressured Navy from the service line early, forcing the visitors out of system during the opening frame. Navy head coach Paco Labrador noted that the team never felt comfortable in its first-ball attack, though outside hitters found ways to score in difficult scenarios, navysports.com reported. The Leopards claimed the first set 28-26 after capitalizing on late service and attack errors from the Mids.
Navy responded by turning a 10-9 deficit in the second set into a 14-10 lead, eventually leveling the match with late kills from Siena Morgan and Caroline Buffum. Momentum shifted decisively in the third set as the Mids jumped out to a 9-4 lead and expanded it to 18-10, taking control of the match tempo. The fourth set mirrored the tight margins of the opener, featuring ties at 18-18, 19-19, 20-20, 21-21, and 22-22, before Buffum secured the final point to close out the 130-minute contest, navysports.com reported.
Navy Leads Lafayette in Kills and Hitting Percentage
Navy finished the match with a 65-52 advantage in kills and posted a .236 hitting percentage compared to Lafayette’s .172. The Mids also led in digs at 85-72 and blocks at 8-6, navysports.com reported.
| Team | Kills | Hitting Pct. | Digs | Blocks | Service Aces |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Navy (10-10, 8-4) | 65 | .236 | 85 | 8 | 8 |
| Lafayette (6-16, 0-12) | 52 | .172 | 72 | 6 | 6 |
Ellen Gundlach recorded 15 kills, Buffum added 14, and Farrah Eike contributed 13 to power the Navy attack. Setter Isa Boyd posted 33 assists and 12 digs, while Amara Chambers led the defense with 25 digs, navysports.com reported. Following the victory, Navy holds an 8-4 conference record ahead of a Saturday match at Bucknell, navysports.com reported.
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