Navy Volleyball Triumphs Over Lehigh in Four Sets

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The Navy volleyball team secured a decisive four-set victory against Lehigh on Saturday night at Wesley A. Brown Field House, improving its record to 10-10 overall and 6-5 in the conference. The Mids won decisively with set scores of 25-21, 25-20, 21-25, and 25-15, marking their fifth victory in the last six matches.

Match Overview

Entering the match, Navy was determined to even the score after a previous loss to Lehigh earlier in the season, where they fell in four sets. This latest win came a day after a grueling five-set match against Lafayette, while Lehigh had just lost a five-set battle against American University.

“We had to dig deep after a really long match Friday (two and a half hours),” said Navy head coach Paco Labrador. “I’m proud of our ability to stay dialed into our game plan.”

Set Breakdown

First Set

Lehigh opened strong, taking an early lead of 9-4, extending it to 19-12. However, Navy rallied back, with key plays including a kill from Caroline Buffum that narrowed the gap to 21-18. Strong teamwork between Ava Toppin and Grace Burgoyne yielded consecutive blocks, and an ace from Lainey Feighery tied the score at 21-21. Navy capped an impressive 8-0 run with a final kill from Burgoyne, sealing the set.

Second Set

Navy achieved a robust start, going up 8-3. They maintained momentum, establishing a lead that reached 21-15 before closing the set with a kill from Farrah Eike and a service error from Lehigh.

Third Set

Lehigh regained composure, quickly establishing a 7-2 lead. Despite Navy’s efforts to catch up, Lehigh dominated the set and ultimately secured victory, pushing the match into a fourth set.

Fourth Set

Navy seized control with a 3-0 run, taking an 11-7 lead. They maintained this advantage, extending it to 18-10 with another 4-0 run that underscored their offensive capability. The Mids kept the lead safely above six points to finish strong.

Statistical Summary

• Kills: Navy 51, Lehigh 42
• Hitting Percentage: Navy .220, Lehigh .176
• Digs: Navy 51, Lehigh 39
• Blocks: Navy 7, Lehigh 13
• Aces: Navy 6, Lehigh 5
• Service Errors: Navy 10, Lehigh 16

Player Highlights

Ava Toppin and Caroline Buffum each contributed significantly with 11 kills. Toppin achieved a hitting percentage of .409 along with three blocks, while Buffum recorded a .333 percentage. Labrador praised both players, highlighting Toppin’s leadership and Buffum’s versatility.

Navy’s setters, Isa Boyd and Lainey Feighery, showcased their skills with 21 and 20 assists, respectively. Other contributors included Eike with nine kills and Aunhea Hauanio-Lore with eight kills and 10 digs, while Amara Chambers led defensively with 13 digs.

Upcoming Matches

Navy will continue its road schedule with matches against Holy Cross on October 31 and Army on November 1.