Army Completes Comeback to Defeat America

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Army West Point volleyball team (14-10, 11-4 PL) accomplished the comeback, defeating the American University Eagles (17-10, 10-5 PL) 3-2 in a five-set thriller. Army is now in second place in the Patriot League. Senior Savannah Bray led the Black Knights with 20 kills, 17 digs, and 21.5 points.

In the first set, American got on the board first with a kill by Zeynep Uzen, giving the Eagles a 1-0 lead. Army knotted things up with a kill by sophomore Mackenzie Lynch, making it a 1-1 match. Both teams battled for the lead when American took a 5-2 lead after going on a 3-0 run.

The Black Knights chipped away at the Eagles’ lead, getting within one point after going on a 3-0 run with a kill by Savannah Bray, a service ace by Diana Ethridge, and an attack error by Adelina Berisha, making it an 8-7 match. Army kept fighting back, but American held on to its lead, winning the first set by a score of 25-20.

American got on the board first with a kill by Carlie Fiske, giving the Eagles a 1-0 lead.

With a kill by Lynch, the Black Knights tied everything up 1-1. American went on to take a 4-2 lead. Army made it a one-point match with a monster kill by Paige Fixemer, making it a 3-4 match. The Eagles eventually took a 9-3 lead. The Black Knights fought back, chipping away at American’s lead, going on a 4-0 run with a pair of kills by Lynch and a pair of attack errors by Zeynep, making it a 13-12 match. The Eagles held on to their lead, which they never looked back on, winning the second set 25-20.

In the third set, Army took a 2-1 lead with an attack error by American’s Holly Hopkins. Both teams battled when the Eagles took a 6-4 lead after going on a 3-0 run.

The Black Knights responded, going on a 4-0 run with a kill by Savannah Bray, a pair of attack errors by Adelina Berisha, and a service error by Lilou Stegeman, giving Army an 8-6 lead. The Black Knights held on to their lead, making it a 14-11 match.

The Eagles fought back, tying the match up at 15-15. Both teams battled for the lead when Army went on a 4-0 run, taking a 20-17 lead. Army held on to its lead, winning the third set 25-21.

It would take a comeback for the Black Knights in the fourth set. The Black Knights took an early 2-1 lead with a monster kill by Julia Johnson. American knotted things up 2-2 with an attack error by Fixemer. Both teams fought for the lead when the Eagles retook the lead after going on a 4-0 run with a pair of kills by Uzen and Stegeman and a pair of attack errors by Johnson, giving American a 12-9 lead.

Army fought back, tying the match up after going on a 3-0 with a service ace by Johnson and attack errors by Uzen and Esma Sipahi, making it a 12-12 match. Both teams battled for the lead when the Black Knights took a 20-17 lead with a kill by Johnson and a service error by Hopkins. Army held onto its lead, winning the fourth set by a score of 25-23. Paige Fixemer had the set-clinching kill.

In the deciding fifth set, Army took a 2-0 lead. The Black Knights held on to their momentum, going on a 3-0 run, with a kill by Johnson and attack errors by Uzen and Stegeman, giving Army a 5-1 lead, forcing an American timeout.

The Eagles fought back, getting within one point with a service ace by Esma Sipahi, making it a 5-4 match. After taking the lead, the Black Knights never looked back, winning the fifth set by a score of 15-8, defeating American 3-2.