Strong Hitting Night Leads Navy Volleyball Past Bucknell in Four Sets
By Brian Hradsky
The Navy Midshipmen women’s volleyball team remained perfect in Patriot League play Saturday afternoon, defeating the Bucknell Bison in four sets, 18-25, 25-21, 25-22, 25-15, at Wesley A. Brown Field House in Annapolis.
Navy improved to 6-6 overall and a perfect 4-0 in the Patriot League with the victory. Bucknell dropped to 5-8 overall and 1-3 in conference play. The Midshipmen overcame an impressive opening set from the Bison and gradually took control of the match behind efficient attacking and a major advantage at the net.
Navy finished the afternoon hitting .339 as a team while committing only 11 attack errors on 121 attempts. Bucknell actually recorded three more kills than Navy, 55-52, but committed 24 attack errors and finished with a .215 hitting percentage. Navy also dominated the blocking category, finishing with 10 team blocks compared with only two for Bucknell.
Bucknell starts red hot
Bucknell came out with one of its best offensive sets of the season. The Bison recorded 15 kills against only one attack error on 25 attempts, producing an outstanding .560 hitting percentage in the opening set.
Navy was effective offensively as well, hitting .400 with 13 kills and three errors, but the Midshipmen could not match Bucknell’s nearly mistake-free attack. The Bison took advantage and won the first set, 25-18, putting Navy behind early on its home floor.
The opening set ultimately proved to be Bucknell’s high point. Navy’s defense and blocking began making a much larger impact as the match progressed, while the Bison’s efficiency steadily declined.
Navy responds in second set
Navy quickly responded after dropping the opener. The Midshipmen hit .310 in the second set, recording 12 kills with only three errors on 29 attacks.
Bucknell, meanwhile, fell from its .560 opening-set percentage to just .143 in the second. The Bison committed seven attack errors after committing only one in the entire first set. Navy capitalized on the change and evened the match with a 25-21 victory.
The second set established the formula Navy would use for the remainder of the afternoon. The Midshipmen did not need to overpower Bucknell with dramatically more kills. Instead, Navy attacked efficiently, limited its mistakes and used its size at the net to make scoring increasingly difficult for the Bison.
Midshipmen take control
The third set was the closest of the final three. Bucknell recorded 15 kills, matching its output from the opening set, but seven attack errors limited the Bison to a .205 hitting percentage.
Navy countered with 13 kills and four errors while hitting .243. The Midshipmen did enough in the crucial points late in the set to earn a 25-22 victory and move ahead two sets to one.
That left Navy one set away from completing its second Patriot League victory in as many days. The Midshipmen had defeated Lafayette in four sets Friday night before returning to Wesley A. Brown Field House to face Bucknell Saturday. Navy entered the weekend 2-0 in Patriot League play and exited it 4-0.
Navy dominates fourth set
Navy saved its most complete performance for the fourth set.
The Midshipmen recorded 14 kills and committed just one attack error on 30 attempts, hitting .433. Bucknell struggled to find openings against Navy’s defense and finished with 12 kills and nine errors on 38 attacks for a .079 hitting percentage.
That enormous difference in efficiency allowed Navy to pull away. The Midshipmen closed the match with a convincing 25-15 fourth-set victory, completing the 3-1 win.
The progression of Bucknell’s hitting percentages illustrated how effectively Navy adjusted after the opening set. The Bison hit .560 in the first set, followed by .143, .205 and .079 over the final three. Navy, meanwhile, hit at least .310 in three of the four sets and committed only one attack error in the fourth.
Buffum leads balanced Navy attack
Caroline Buffum led Navy offensively with 15 kills. Ellen Gundlach was right behind her with 14 kills, while Farrah Eike added 12. The trio combined for 41 of Navy’s 52 kills.
Eike contributed throughout the lineup. In addition to her 12 kills, she led Navy with 15 digs and recorded two service aces. Buffum also had two aces and contributed four blocks.
Avery Maddux led Navy at the net with five blocks. Buffum finished with four, while Grace Burgoyne contributed three. Navy’s collective work at the net resulted in a 10-2 advantage in team blocks, one of the largest statistical differences in the match.
Navy also received contributions from multiple setters. Isa Boyd led the Midshipmen with 26 assists, Caroline Adams recorded 17 and Amara Chambers added seven. Chambers also finished with 11 digs.
The Midshipmen totaled 51 assists on their 52 kills, an indication of how effectively Navy distributed the ball throughout its offense. Navy also held a 48-44 advantage in digs.
Bucknell’s offense slows after first set
Cameron Lloyd led Bucknell with 14 kills, while Sidney Shaffer and Marion Haskell each recorded 12. Peyton McGee ran the Bison offense and finished with 44 assists while also recording four service aces.
Bucknell’s 55 kills exceeded Navy’s 52, and the Bison also held an 8-6 advantage in service aces. Those numbers made Navy’s efficiency even more important.
Navy committed 13 fewer attack errors than Bucknell, 11 compared with 24. The Midshipmen also produced eight more team blocks. Bucknell’s advantage in raw kills therefore was not enough to overcome Navy’s cleaner offensive performance and stronger presence at the net.
Navy remains unbeaten in Patriot League
The victory completed an important home weekend for Navy. The Midshipmen defeated Lafayette on Friday before turning around and beating Bucknell Saturday, improving from 2-0 to 4-0 in conference play over approximately 24 hours.
Navy also continued its historical success against Bucknell. Entering Saturday’s match, Navy held a 43-26 advantage in the all-time series and a 35-25 advantage in Patriot League meetings. The Midshipmen had also won the teams’ previous meeting, a five-set match on Nov. 18, 2025, in Lewisburg.
More importantly for this season, Navy’s 4-0 conference start gives the Midshipmen early momentum in Patriot League competition after beginning the overall season 2-6 outside the league.
Saturday’s performance showed why Navy has been difficult to beat since conference play began. The Midshipmen did not panic after Bucknell hit .560 in the opening set. Instead, Navy tightened its defense, reduced its own errors and forced the Bison to become progressively less efficient.
By the fourth set, the match had completely changed. Navy hit .433 while holding Bucknell to .079, turning what had begun as an impressive afternoon for the Bison into a decisive Midshipmen victory.
MSB Take
Navy’s response after the first set was the biggest takeaway from this match. Bucknell came out firing and hit an incredible .560, yet the Midshipmen never allowed that opening-set loss to dictate the rest of the afternoon.
The 10-2 advantage in blocks stands out, but Navy’s offensive efficiency was just as impressive. Finishing a four-set match at .339 while committing only 11 attack errors is an excellent offensive performance. Buffum, Gundlach and Eike gave Navy three legitimate attacking options, making it difficult for Bucknell to focus its defense on one player.
Most encouraging for Navy is the 4-0 Patriot League start. Conference play is what ultimately determines Navy’s postseason position, and the Midshipmen have started that portion of the schedule exactly the way they wanted. Saturday’s win showed they can absorb an opponent’s best punch, make adjustments and take control as a match progresses.
Final: Navy 3, Bucknell 1 (18-25, 25-21, 25-22, 25-15)
Navy: 6-6 overall, 4-0 Patriot League
Bucknell: 5-8 overall, 1-3 Patriot League
