Gundlach’s Career Night Powers Navy Volleyball Past Lafayette in Four Sets
By Brian Hradsky
The Navy Midshipmen women’s volleyball team overcame a first-set loss and several deficits to defeat the Lafayette Leopards, 3-1, Friday night at Wesley A. Brown Field House in Annapolis.
Navy dropped the opening set 25-23 before responding with victories of 25-23, 25-18 and 25-22. The comeback improved the Midshipmen to 5-6 overall and, more importantly, a perfect 3-0 in Patriot League play. Lafayette fell to 6-7 overall and 0-3 in conference competition.
Junior outside hitter Ellen Gundlach delivered the best offensive performance of her Navy career. Gundlach finished with a career-high 22 kills as the Midshipmen repeatedly turned to her when they needed to stop a Lafayette run or complete one of their own comebacks.
Navy head coach Paco Labrador described Gundlach as being completely locked in offensively and credited the connections she developed throughout the match. Her performance helped Navy overcome a Lafayette team that challenged the Mids with its blocking, defense and varied attack.
Lafayette Steals the Opening Set
The first set gave Navy an early indication that Lafayette was not going to make anything easy.
The teams were tied at 11 before the Midshipmen started to create separation. Navy went ahead 17-13 and appeared to have control of the opening set, prompting Lafayette to call a timeout.
The timeout changed the momentum dramatically.
A Navy attack error gave Lafayette its first point after the break, and the Leopards proceeded to score eight consecutive points. What had been a four-point Navy advantage quickly became a 21-17 Lafayette lead.
Navy did not allow the set to get away without a fight. The Mids pulled within 22-20 and later cut the Lafayette advantage to 23-22 following an attack error by the Leopards.
Lafayette responded with a kill to earn set point at 24-22 and eventually finished the set with a 25-23 victory.
The statistics showed just how close the opener was. Lafayette recorded 16 kills and hit .159, while Navy totaled 10 kills with a .139 hitting percentage.
It would be Lafayette’s only set victory of the night.
Navy Responds in Tight Second Set
Navy needed a response after allowing the first set to slip away, but the Midshipmen again found themselves having to play from behind.
This time, Navy finished the comeback.
The Mids significantly improved offensively in the second set, recording 17 kills while hitting .214. Lafayette managed 10 kills and a .143 hitting percentage.
The difference was enough for Navy to edge Lafayette 25-23 and even the match at one set apiece.
It was an important early turning point. Instead of allowing the Leopards to build a two-set advantage, Navy found a way to finish a close set and reset the match.
That ability to respond became a theme throughout the evening.
Midshipmen Take Control
Navy played its best volleyball of the night in the third set.
The Midshipmen attacked at a .355 percentage, easily their best mark of the four sets. Navy finished with 15 kills against only four attack errors on 31 attempts. Lafayette, meanwhile, hit just .077 with 11 kills and eight errors.
Navy’s offensive efficiency translated into a 25-18 victory and a 2-1 advantage in the match.
Gundlach remained the centerpiece of the attack, but Navy received additional production from Farrah Eike and Caroline Buffum. Eike eventually finished the match with 13 kills, giving the Mids a second player in double figures, while Buffum contributed seven.
With Gundlach and Eike combining for 35 kills, Lafayette could not simply focus its defense on one attacker.
Navy Rallies Again to Finish the Match
Lafayette continued to make Navy work in the fourth set.
The Leopards were attempting to force a fifth set, while Navy had an opportunity to finish the match on its home floor. Neither team was particularly efficient offensively during the final frame, but the Midshipmen again made enough plays when the set was on the line.
Lafayette committed 12 attack errors in the fourth and finished the set with a negative-.026 hitting percentage. Navy had 10 kills with seven errors and hit .075.
Despite the offensive struggles, Navy found a way to close the match with a 25-22 victory.
The three-point margin was appropriate for a match that required Navy to continually battle through close situations. Three of the four sets were decided by three points or fewer.
Navy ultimately walked away with a 23-25, 25-23, 25-18, 25-22 victory and its third consecutive Patriot League win.
Gundlach Leads Career Night
Gundlach’s 22 kills led all Navy players and established a new career high.
Eike complemented her with 13 kills and also contributed 11 digs for a double-double. Buffum’s seven kills provided another offensive option for Labrador’s lineup.
Isa Boyd played a significant role in keeping the offense moving. Boyd recorded a team-high 30 assists and added nine digs, putting her one dig shy of a double-double. Caroline Adams added seven assists, while Amara Chambers finished with six.
Chambers led Navy defensively with 14 digs, followed by Eike’s 11 and Boyd’s nine.
At the net, Avery Maddux paced the Midshipmen with five blocks. Grace Burgoyne and Buffum each contributed two.
Navy finished with advantages of 52-48 in kills, 50-47 in assists and 64-55 in digs. The Mids also outhit Lafayette .188 to .090 for the match.
Lafayette actually finished with more total points, 66-64, while holding advantages in aces, 8-4, and blocks, 10-8. Those numbers emphasize how closely contested the match was despite Navy winning three consecutive sets.
Lafayette Makes Navy Earn It
Auma Mbeche-Odhiambo led Lafayette with 17 kills and 18 digs, finishing one kill shy of her season high. Noa Kamphuis added 12 kills, while Jada Aksu finished with nine.
Lafayette also received 21 assists from LK LaMonica and 18 from Mackenzie Calhoun. Alyssa Chu recorded 15 digs, while Johanna Groger led the Leopards at the net with six blocks.
The Leopards’ blocking and serving caused problems for Navy. Lafayette’s eight service aces doubled Navy’s total, and its 10 blocks exceeded the Mids’ eight.
Navy, however, compensated by being the more efficient attacking team over the full match. Lafayette committed 34 attack errors compared with 24 by Navy.
That difference became particularly noticeable as the match progressed. Lafayette hit .159 in the opening set but declined to .143, .077 and minus-.026 over the final three frames. Navy improved from .139 in the opener to .214 in the second and .355 in the third before grinding through the fourth.
Navy’s Strong Patriot League Start Continues
The victory gave Navy a 3-0 Patriot League record after the Midshipmen entered the weekend 4-6 overall and 2-0 in conference play.
Navy also continued its historical success against Lafayette. Entering Friday’s match, the Midshipmen led the all-time series 54-13 and held a 49-11 advantage in Patriot League meetings. Navy had also won the teams’ previous meeting, a five-set match on Oct. 24, 2025, in Annapolis.
The Mids’ early conference success is particularly important after an uneven nonconference start. Conference results ultimately determine positioning for the Patriot League postseason, and Navy opened league play by winning its first three matches.
Friday’s victory also started a three-match homestand at Wesley A. Brown Field House. Navy was scheduled to return to the court Saturday against Bucknell, which entered that contest 5-7 overall and 1-2 in the Patriot League.
Match Leaders
Navy
- Ellen Gundlach — 22 kills
- Farrah Eike — 13 kills, 11 digs
- Caroline Buffum — seven kills
- Isa Boyd — 30 assists, nine digs
- Amara Chambers — 14 digs
- Avery Maddux — five blocks
Lafayette
- Auma Mbeche-Odhiambo — 17 kills, 18 digs
- Noa Kamphuis — 12 kills
- Jada Aksu — nine kills
- LK LaMonica — 21 assists
- Alyssa Chu — 15 digs
- Johanna Groger — six blocks
Final
Navy 3, Lafayette 1
Set scores: Lafayette 25-23; Navy 25-23, 25-18, 25-22.
MSB Take
Navy did not dominate this match from beginning to end, and that is part of what makes the victory encouraging. The Midshipmen lost a four-point lead in the opening set, faced several difficult stretches and dealt with a Lafayette team that was effective from the service line and at the net. Navy still found ways to respond.
Gundlach was the difference-maker. A career-high 22 kills in a four-set conference match is a major performance, and Navy needed nearly all of that production. Eike’s double-double and Boyd’s work running the offense helped make sure the Midshipmen were not completely dependent on one player.
The most impressive statistic may be Navy’s 3-0 Patriot League record. The Mids’ 5-6 overall mark does not tell the entire story of their season because they have been perfect since conference competition began. Navy now has an opportunity to build on that start and turn its early Patriot League success into sustained momentum.
