BALTIMORE – Loyola University Maryland won the first two sets, but Navy came back to win the next two and force a fifth set in which the Greyhounds pulled away late for a five-set win (25-18, 26-24, 23-25, 23-25, 15-13).
Navy took a 6-5 lead in the fifth set, but a pair of
Riley Hamilton kills helped the Greyhounds go up, 8-7, at the side-switch.
The Midshipmen tied up on a Greyhounds' service error, but Loyola tallied the next four points.
Caitlin Churney spurred the 4-0 run with a solo block and kill, and then Hamitlon had her third kill of the set to make it 11-8.
Loyola would again lead by four at 14-10 following Churney's third kill in the set, but Navy scored three-straight points to draw within one, 14-13. A Midshipmen attack error, however, ended the match in Loyola's favor.
Five Greyhounds had seven or more kills, led by
Lauren Link's match-high 17. Hamilton finished with 14, and
Kacy Sekunda recorded her third triple-double of the season with 10 kills, 16 assists and 14 digs.
Morgan Crawford posted eight kills, while Churney and
Mariah Sanabia each had seven.
Bryanne Soares dished out 27 assists and pulled up a career-high 25 digs.
Link and Hamitlon both had double-doubles with 19 and 13 digs, respectively, and
Leah Hunter tallied 19 digs.
The Greyhounds will go on the road for their first Patriot League road trip of the season next weekend, first heading to Worcester, Massachusetts, for a 6 p.m. match on Friday, September 20, before playing at Army West Point the following day at 4 p.m.
Gallery: (9-22-2024) Volleyball vs. Navy