WEST POINT, N.Y. (October 8, 2015) -- The U.S. Military Academy at West Point women's volleyball team will return to Gillis Field House Oct. 9-10 to host two conference matches. The Black Knights will face Lafayette Oct. 9, and service academy rival Navy, Oct. 10. Both matches are slated to start at 7 p.m.
"We are excited to be playing at home and in front of our fans this weekend," said head coach Alma Kovaci. "We face two tough teams this weekend. I suspect it will be a defensive battle between Lafayette on Oct. 9 and Navy on Oct. 10. Both teams are very good. Our primary goal this season has been, and continues to be, to get better every time we step on the court by controlling our side of the net. A critical part of our game will be to serve aggressively and remain consistent and patient in our passing game. It will be an exciting and an important weekend as every match in the conference counts."
The Army West Point volleyball team boasts an 11-6 overall record and a 3-1 mark in the Patriot League after going 1-1 last week. The Black Knights defeated Loyola, 3-0, on Oct. 3 after falling to American Oct. 2, 3-0.
Opposite the Greyhounds, Cadet Nicole Perri led the Black Knights with 10 kills on 24 attempts. Cadets Carolyn Bockrath (6), Jaden Pickell (5), Vanessa Wesley (5) and Olivia Fairfield (4) all contributed in the win. Defensively, Cadet Shannel Chong tallied 16 digs, while Wesley recorded three solo blocks.
Against American, Bockrath led Army offensively with 10 kills on 24 attempts. Chong helped out defensively with 16 digs, while Cadet Vanessa Edwards recorded her seventh-straight double-double of the year with 26 assists and 10 digs.
Army players rank No. 1 in three individual statistical categories in the conference this season. Middle blocker Bockrath leads the league and ranks No. 8 in the country with a .438 hitting percentage. Edwards, Army's setter, leads the Patriot League in assists per set this season with 10.17. At West Point she ranks seventh all-time in career assists with 1,922. Cadet Libero Chong ranks first in the conference in digs per set with 4.67.
The Leopards enter the weekend with a 10-5 overall record and are 2-2 in the league. The Leopards have earned conference wins over Lehigh and Loyola. Army leads 46-4 in the all-time series with Lafayette.
Jet Manzi leads the conference in service aces with 32 and averages 0.54 per set. As a team, Lafayette leads in digs per set with 15.93 and aces per set with 1.85.
The Midshipmen enter the Star Match with a 2-15 overall record and a 0-4 mark in the league. Midshipman Olivia Kluger leads Navy offensively with 109 kills, while Midshipman Dorothy Murray averages 2.29 kills per set.
Navy has played the highest percentage of league sets this season that have been determined by five or fewer points. The Midshipmen have played 17 sets versus league foes, with 11 of them (65%) being decided by no more than five points. Four of Navy's last eight matches have been decided in five sets.
Army leads 43-12 in the all-time series with Navy and is 25-5 at home against the Midshipmen.
Related Links:
Army West Point Athletics website
U.S. Military Academy at West Point website
U.S. Army Garrison West Point website
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