WASHINGTON, D.C. – Loyola University Maryland volleyball took the first set Saturday afternoon, but the U.S. Naval Academy hit .290 in the final three to win the Patriot League Semifinals match in four, 18-25, 25-18, 25-17, 25-23.
 
The Greyhounds' ended their season with the match after qualifying for the Patriot League Championships for the first time since joining the conference in 2013.
 
The Greyhounds had five blocks in the first set, helping to hold the Midshipmen (22-8 overall) to a .000 hitting percentage in the first set, but the Greyhounds had only three blocks in the next two frames.
 
They then came back with five in the fourth set to take a lead in the fourth. Alisah Cash and Haley Puddy stuffed a Kelsey Kingsland swing on the right side for the Mids to score a point for the Greyhounds a break a 12-12 tie.
 
That block started a 4-0 Greyhounds' run in which Ann Ernst bookended an Alaina Acchione service ace. Navy, however, came back with four of its own, and a Kingsland swing knotted the score at 16-16.
 
Ernst and Abby Hamilton had kills for the Greyhounds, but Katie Patrick sided out for the Navy, and a setting error by Loyola tied it at 18-18.
 
The Midshipmen pushed ahead with two of the next three points, but a Haley Puddy kill sided out for the Greyhounds and tied the fourth at 20-20. Avery Stowell put away a swing for the Midshipmen to give them a 21-20 advantage, but Molly Jarvis had a solo block to tie it at 21-21.
 
Ernst then split a block on the left, giving the Greyhounds a 22-21 advantage, but a service error tied the set for the 14^th time. Navy had a service error of its own, however, and the Greyhounds led, 23-22. A hitting error by the Greyhounds tied the set again, and Katie Patrick scored for Navy with a kill, giving the Midshipmen match-point. Loyola's next attack attempt went long, and the Midshipmen clinched a berth in the Patriot League Championship Game.
 
Ernst led all players with 15 kills, while Puddy and Hamilton each had seven for the Greyhounds. Four Navy players had 10 or more.
 
During the third set, Puddy registered her 1,000^th career kill, becoming the fifth player at Loyola to reach the milestone since the NCAA moved to 25-point rally scoring in 2008.
 
Jarvis had a match-high eight total blocks, while Cash and Cat Vaccaro each had five. Puddy chipped in with four. Katie Forsythe had 16 assists, while Molly Werts posted 14 assists and 14 digs. Acchione had a team-best 20 assists.