Late Green Bay Runs Send Navy Volleyball to Straight-Set Loss
Late Green Bay Runs Send Navy Volleyball to Straight-Set Loss
Green Bay 3, Navy 0.
Green Bay 3, Navy 0.
The Navy women’s volleyball team remained competitive throughout Sunday’s match but could not close out several late-set opportunities in a 25-17, 25-21, 25-20 loss to Green Bay at the Western Michigan Invitational in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Green Bay used decisive closing runs in all three sets to secure its first victory of the season. The Phoenix improved to 1-2, while the Midshipmen completed their season-opening tournament with an 0-3 record.
Navy held a late lead in the second set and remained tied with Green Bay deep into the third. However, the Phoenix executed more efficiently at the net, finishing with a .394 hitting percentage compared with Navy’s .186.
Green Bay Pulls Away in Opening Set
Navy stayed within four points during the first half of the opening set before Green Bay used a 4-0 run to build a 17-11 advantage.
The Midshipmen answered immediately. Navy scored four consecutive points to close within 17-15 and appeared positioned to erase the remainder of the deficit.
Green Bay responded with two points before Navy cut the margin to 19-16. The Phoenix scored two more points, and following a Navy kill, Green Bay closed the set with four consecutive points.
Both teams recorded 11 kills in the opening frame, but Green Bay held a 5-2 advantage in service aces and a 3-1 edge in blocks. Those differences helped the Phoenix claim the set, 25-17.
Navy Lets Second-Set Lead Slip Away
The second set was the most competitive frame of the match.
Neither team led by more than two points through a 19-19 tie, and the score was even 10 different times during that stretch. Navy then recorded consecutive kills to move ahead, 21-19, forcing Green Bay to call a timeout.
The timeout changed the momentum.
Green Bay answered with two kills to tie the set at 21. Consecutive Navy attack errors moved the Phoenix ahead, 23-21, and forced head coach Paco Labrador to use both of his timeouts.
Green Bay followed with a service ace to reach set point and completed its 6-0 closing run with a kill. The Phoenix took the second set, 25-21, despite trailing by two late in the frame.
Navy’s inability to finish that set became the turning point of the match. A 21-19 advantage quickly became a 25-21 loss without the Midshipmen scoring another point.
Phoenix Finish Strong Again
The third set followed a similar pattern.
Navy and Green Bay played through 10 ties before reaching an 18-18 deadlock. The Phoenix then recorded consecutive kills to take a 20-18 lead.
A Green Bay service error brought Navy within one, but the Phoenix regained control with another kill. Two additional Green Bay kills extended the margin to 23-19.
Navy briefly stayed alive with a kill, but consecutive Phoenix blocks ended the match.
Green Bay won the third set, 25-20, after scoring seven of the final nine points.
Attack Errors Separate the Teams
The match was statistically close in several areas.
Navy finished with 40 digs to Green Bay’s 36. Both teams recorded six service aces, while the Phoenix committed nine service errors and the Midshipmen committed eight.
The largest difference came from offensive efficiency.
Green Bay recorded 43 kills with only six attack errors on 94 attempts. Navy finished with 36 kills but committed 18 errors on 97 swings.
The Phoenix improved offensively as the match progressed, hitting .321 in the opening set, .394 in the second and .455 in the third. Navy posted hitting percentages of .143, .147 and .257.
Green Bay also finished with a 7-4 advantage in blocks.
Gillian Koning led the Phoenix with 11 kills and a .385 hitting percentage. Diane Pichelman added 10 kills without committing an attack error, while setter Alexa Hernandez distributed 34 assists and recorded three aces.
Morgan Provides Efficient Performance
Ellen Gundlach led Navy with nine kills, while Farrah Eike added eight kills and six digs.
Siena Morgan delivered the Midshipmen’s most efficient offensive performance. The sophomore middle blocker recorded six kills without an error on 10 attempts, giving her a .600 hitting percentage.
Amara Chambers paced Navy’s back-row defense with 11 digs. Isa Boyd added nine digs and a team-high 14 assists, while Kinamoni Jerome finished with nine assists and two service aces.
Grace Burgoyne led the Midshipmen with two blocks.
Boyd was selected as Navy’s representative on the Western Michigan Invitational all-tournament team. She totaled 52 assists and 23 digs across the Midshipmen’s three matches.
Difficult Opening Weekend
Navy faced three challenging opponents during the season-opening tournament.
The Midshipmen opened with a five-set loss to Indiana State before falling to host Western Michigan and Green Bay in straight sets. Navy showed stretches of competitive play throughout the weekend but struggled to maintain its execution late in sets.
Labrador said the tournament gave Navy an opportunity to see the physicality and consistency required to compete with the best teams in the Patriot League.
“We have work to do,” Labrador said following Sunday’s match.
The Midshipmen now return to Annapolis looking to turn the lessons from their opening weekend into more consistent performances.
MSB Take
Navy’s 0-3 record does not tell the entire story of the weekend, but the Midshipmen cannot ignore the way Sunday’s final two sets ended.
Navy held a 21-19 advantage in the second set and was tied at 18 in the third. Green Bay outscored the Midshipmen 12-2 from those two points forward. Those are situations in which Navy must reduce mistakes and force the opponent to earn every point.
The 18 attack errors were the biggest issue. Green Bay only committed six, and that 12-error difference outweighed Navy’s advantages in digs and service errors. The Midshipmen were not badly outplayed in every area, but they gave away too many points at the most important moments.
Morgan’s .600 hitting percentage was a major positive, and Boyd’s all-tournament selection provided another encouraging sign. Navy has pieces capable of producing efficient volleyball. The next step is developing a more consistent attack around them.
The upcoming homestand arrives at the right time. Playing at Wesley A. Brown Field House should give Navy an opportunity to settle into the season, clean up its late-set execution and begin building confidence before Patriot League play.
Navy will host the 15th Kristen Dickmann Invitational from Friday through Sunday. The Midshipmen face Coppin State at 6 p.m. Friday, Penn at 4 p.m. Saturday and Stony Brook at 3 p.m. Sunday.
Sources: Navy Athletics recap, official match statistics, Green Bay Athletics recap.
