Navy Volleyball Stuns Army in Five-Set Thriller, Scores Final Three Points to Complete Rivalry Sweep
Navy Volleyball Stuns Army in Five-Set Thriller, Scores Final Three Points to Complete Rivalry Sweep
By Brian Hradsky
October 20, 2026
The Navy Midshipmen women’s volleyball team delivered a dramatic five-set victory over the Army Black Knights Saturday afternoon, rallying from match point down to secure a 3-2 win at Wesley A. Brown Field House in Annapolis. Navy overcame multiple deficits before scoring the final three points of the deciding set to claim a 19-25, 27-25, 18-25, 26-24, 16-14 victory in a contest that lasted nearly three hours. Paige Buzzerio delivered a season-high 16 kills, while Farrah Eike contributed 13 kills, 10 digs and five blocks to help the Midshipmen complete their first regular-season sweep of Army since 2021. The victory improved Navy to 8-9 overall and 6-3 in Patriot League competition, while Army dropped to 10-8 overall and 4-5 in conference play.
Army Controls Opening Set as Navy Struggles Early
The Black Knights established momentum immediately, racing to an 8-1 advantage in the opening set while Navy struggled to establish an effective offensive rhythm. Army capitalized on the Midshipmen’s attacking mistakes and consistently found openings in Navy’s defensive formation. The Black Knights recorded 14 kills against just five attacking errors, allowing them to maintain control throughout the opening frame. Navy finished with seven kills and seven attacking errors as Army secured a comfortable 25-19 victory.
The difficult start continued a troubling trend for the Midshipmen, who have struggled to win opening sets during Patriot League competition. Navy entered Saturday’s contest having won only one opening set in its previous eight conference matches, repeatedly forcing itself to overcome early deficits. Army took advantage of that weakness by applying immediate pressure and preventing the Midshipmen from establishing consistent offensive opportunities. However, Navy had already demonstrated its ability to recover from difficult starts, including its victory over Army in the previous week’s Star Match.
Navy Survives Dramatic Second-Set Comeback
Navy responded with improved execution during the second set, turning an early 7-5 deficit into a 15-9 advantage through an impressive 10-2 scoring run. The Midshipmen continued controlling the frame and eventually extended their lead to 22-15 before reaching set point at 24-18. Army refused to surrender, scoring six consecutive points to erase the deficit and tie the score at 24. The sudden momentum shift placed Navy under considerable pressure after appearing positioned to secure a relatively comfortable set victory.
The teams exchanged points before Navy regained a 26-25 advantage following a successful video challenge that overturned an attacking error against Buzzerio. The Midshipmen then faced another controversial sequence when Buzzerio was initially called for a net violation after finishing a ball near the net. Navy challenged the ruling, and the video review again favored the Midshipmen, awarding them the decisive point. The 27-25 victory evened the match at one set apiece and demonstrated Navy’s ability to remain composed during a critical stretch.
Army Regains Advantage in Third Set
Army regained control during the third set by opening with six consecutive points and forcing Navy into another early deficit. The Black Knights maintained their advantage throughout the frame, preventing the Midshipmen from generating the extended scoring runs necessary to challenge for the lead. Navy struggled to establish consistent attacking opportunities against Army’s defensive organization and could not recover from the opening surge. The Black Knights secured a 25-18 victory and moved within one set of winning the match.
The third-set defeat placed Navy in a difficult position against an opponent that had already demonstrated its ability to control extended stretches of play. Army’s aggressive approach continued creating problems for the Midshipmen, particularly when the Black Knights established early leads. Navy needed improved blocking, defensive communication and attacking efficiency to extend the contest. The Midshipmen responded with another determined effort during a fourth set that featured one of the afternoon’s most important comebacks.
Fourth-Set Comeback Forces Deciding Frame
Army opened the fourth set with another dominant stretch, building leads of 5-0 and 7-1 before eventually extending its advantage to 15-9. Navy gradually worked its way back into contention, reducing the deficit to 19-16 and continuing to pressure the Black Knights. Army maintained a 22-18 advantage late in the frame, leaving the Midshipmen just three points away from elimination. Navy responded with four consecutive points, including a kill from Eike, two service aces from Amara Chambers and an Army attacking error, tying the score at 22.
The Black Knights briefly regained a 23-22 advantage following a Navy service error, but Eike answered with another important kill to even the score. An Army attacking error then gave the Midshipmen set point at 24-23, although the Black Knights responded with a kill to force another tie. Eike delivered another decisive attack before Hailey Jacobus finished the set with a kill, giving Navy a 26-24 victory. The comeback forced a fifth set and energized the Annapolis crowd as the longtime rivals prepared for a dramatic conclusion.
Navy Scores Final Three Points to Complete Victory
The deciding set featured nine ties and only two lead changes as neither team could establish a comfortable advantage. Navy eventually created a three-point cushion at 10-7, but Army continued battling and reduced the deficit to 12-11. The Midshipmen moved ahead 13-11 following an Army service error, placing themselves within two points of securing the victory. However, the Black Knights responded with consecutive kills and a service ace to take a 14-13 advantage and reach match point.
Facing elimination, Navy turned to Eike, who delivered a critical kill to tie the score at 14 and keep the Midshipmen alive. Eike then served the next point, and Navy successfully defended Army’s attack before Kinamoni Jerome set Buzzerio on the left side. Buzzerio drove the ball into an opening in the middle of Army’s defense, giving Navy a 15-14 advantage and its first opportunity to serve for the match. The sequence demonstrated the Midshipmen’s composure after facing the possibility of losing a second consecutive point that would have ended the contest.
Eike served again on the final rally, and Army initially created an opportunity to attack after Navy struggled to control the ball. The Black Knights appeared positioned to extend the match, but their middle hitter contacted the net during the decisive play. Officials awarded Navy the final point, completing the 16-14 fifth-set victory and triggering a celebration inside Wesley A. Brown Field House. The Midshipmen had scored three consecutive points after facing match point and secured one of their most dramatic victories of the season.
Buzzerio Delivers Breakthrough Performance
Buzzerio emerged as Navy’s leading offensive contributor despite not entering the match until the second set. The junior had recorded only nine kills during the entire season before Saturday’s contest, but she delivered 16 against Army to lead the Midshipmen’s attacking effort. Her performance finished just one kill short of her collegiate career high of 17, established against Boise State in the opening match of the 2025 season. Buzzerio also contributed six digs and two blocks while committing no receiving errors on 14 serve-reception opportunities.
The performance represented an important milestone for Buzzerio, who suffered a season-ending knee injury early in the 2025 campaign. She had appeared sparingly during the current season before receiving an expanded opportunity against the Black Knights. Her ability to contribute immediately provided Navy with an important offensive boost during a match that required multiple adjustments. Buzzerio’s match-winning kill late in the fifth set highlighted her impact and demonstrated the value of the Midshipmen’s depth.
Eike also delivered an outstanding all-around performance, recording 13 kills, 10 digs and five blocks while playing a central role in Navy’s late comeback. Her attacking contributions were particularly important during the fourth and fifth sets, when the Midshipmen needed points to avoid elimination. Eike scored the point that erased Army’s match point and then served during the final two rallies. Her ability to contribute offensively, defensively and from the service line helped Navy complete the comeback.
Chambers and Navy’s Blocking Unit Make the Difference
Although Army led several offensive statistical categories, Navy established a significant advantage at the net through its blocking performance. The Midshipmen recorded 14 blocks compared with seven for the Black Knights, helping compensate for Army’s advantage in kills and attacking efficiency. Siena Morgan led Navy with eight blocks, while Eike contributed five and Ellen Gundlach added four. The defensive effort limited Army’s ability to capitalize on its offensive opportunities during important stretches of the match.
Chambers provided another strong defensive performance, leading the Midshipmen with 22 digs while contributing three service aces. Her two consecutive aces during Navy’s fourth-set comeback played an important role in erasing Army’s late advantage. Isa Boyd added 14 digs and 17 assists, while Jerome distributed 20 assists and recorded three aces. The contributions demonstrated Navy’s ability to receive meaningful production from several players even when the team struggled offensively.
Army finished with 64 kills compared with Navy’s 51 and recorded a .167 attacking percentage against the Midshipmen’s .140 mark. The Black Knights also held advantages in assists, service aces and digs, finishing with 60 assists, eight aces and 78 digs. Navy recorded 48 assists, seven aces and 71 digs but made the most of its opportunities during the decisive moments. The Midshipmen’s blocking advantage and ability to finish close sets ultimately proved more important than the overall statistical differences.
Navy Completes First Regular-Season Army Sweep Since 2021
Saturday’s victory carried additional significance because it completed Navy’s first regular-season sweep of Army since 2021. The Midshipmen had already defeated the Black Knights in four sets October 9 at West Point during the annual Army-Navy Star Match. That earlier victory represented Navy’s first Star Match win since 2023 and its first Star Match victory at Army since 2003. By winning again eight days later, the Midshipmen secured two important victories against their biggest rival during the same conference season.
The rivalry has produced numerous close contests in recent years, with six of the last 10 meetings requiring five sets. Twelve of the 45 sets played during that stretch have been decided by just two points, demonstrating how evenly matched the programs have been. Navy’s ability to win consecutive matches against Army reflects its resilience and willingness to compete through difficult situations. Five of the Midshipmen’s six set victories over the Black Knights this season came by the minimum two-point margin.
The victory also provided an important milestone for head coach Paco Labrador, who recorded his eighth career win against Army. Labrador is now tied with former Navy coach Mike Schwob for the most victories over the Black Knights in program history. His team has demonstrated the ability to remain competitive in close matches despite struggling to establish early momentum. Saturday’s performance offered another example of Navy’s resilience and ability to respond when facing elimination.
Patriot League Schedule Continues Against Holy Cross and Colgate
Navy will conclude its four-match homestand with important Patriot League contests against Holy Cross on Friday, October 23, and Colgate on Saturday, October 24. The Midshipmen enter the upcoming weekend with a 6-3 conference record after completing the sweep of Army. Their recent success has strengthened their position in the Patriot League standings and provided additional confidence heading into the second half of the conference schedule. Maintaining that momentum will be important as Navy continues pursuing a postseason tournament berth.
The Midshipmen will also look to improve their opening-set performances, which have repeatedly forced them into difficult situations throughout conference play. Navy has won only one opening set in its first nine Patriot League matches, making early execution an important area for improvement. However, the team’s ability to recover from deficits has helped it remain competitive and secure several important victories. The coaching staff will look for more consistent performances across all sets as the regular season continues.
MSB Take
Navy’s five-set victory over Army was one of the most impressive examples of resilience the Midshipmen have demonstrated this season. The team faced multiple deficits, lost the opening and third sets, and trailed 14-13 in the deciding frame before producing three consecutive points to secure the victory. Buzzerio’s 16-kill performance provided an unexpected offensive spark, while Eike delivered when Navy needed its most important points. The Midshipmen showed that they can remain composed under pressure and find ways to win even when their overall statistics are not superior.
The biggest concern remains Navy’s continued difficulty establishing momentum at the beginning of matches and individual sets. Army repeatedly built substantial early leads, forcing the Midshipmen to expend considerable energy recovering from deficits. Navy cannot expect to overcome those situations consistently against the Patriot League’s strongest teams, particularly when opponents capitalize on early opportunities. Improving attacking efficiency and reducing unforced errors will be essential if the Midshipmen hope to build on their recent success.
Nevertheless, completing the regular-season sweep of Army represents an important achievement for Labrador and his program. The victories demonstrated Navy’s mental toughness, defensive discipline and ability to perform during the most important moments of close matches. Buzzerio’s emergence provides another potential offensive weapon, while Eike, Chambers, Morgan, Boyd and Jerome continue contributing across multiple statistical categories. If Navy can combine its late-match resilience with more consistent early execution, the Midshipmen have an opportunity to become a dangerous opponent during the Patriot League postseason.
