Army Black Knights Post Road Victory at Holy Cross

WORCESTER, MA. – The Army West Point volleyball team snapped a three-game skid with a 3-1 victory at Holy Cross on Saturday.

As the team heads towards the final quarter of its conference schedule, every game matters, and the Black Knights needed a bounce-back effort in this one. Army was strong at the net in this one, recording 11 total blocks. The Cadets outhit Holy Cross .256 to .135.

“Any win at this point in the conference is a big win,” Head Coach Alma Kovaci Lee said. “We had a stretch of some tough road matches, so winning at Holy Cross to close out this stretch is an accomplishment and it feels good.”

The win moves Army to 7-5 in conference play, currently placing them fourth in the Patriot League standings.

The offensive output was spread out for Army, with Monica Eckford (11), Emmy Barnhorst and Courtney Horace (10) recording double-digit kills. Barnhorst also led the team with four total blocks. Setters Hannah Presley and Nikki Lum each added 18 assists to help set up the attack. Lum posted 10 digs as well for the double-double.

The Black Knights seemed to get stronger as the match went on. After dropping the second set, the team’s hitting percentage rose from .140 to .333 in the third set and then up to .389 in set four. They also recorded five services aces and four blocks in a dominant closing fourth set that the Cadets won 25-12.

After playing four consecutive matches on the road, Army returns home next week for the team’s final two home matches of the regular season. The homestand begins with a matchup against Lehigh on Friday night at Gillis Field House. Army currently leads Lehigh by one game in the Patriot League standings.

“We look forward to practicing this week and continuing to get one percent better every time we step on the court,” Kovaci Lee said. “We have four matches left in the regular season and we are focusing on finishing strong.”