11/11/2004 - Women's Volleyball
Volleyball to Make Final Playoff Push This Weekend
Amanda McHenry |
ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- The Navy volleyball team will close its season this weekend by playing host to Lafayette Friday and Lehigh Saturday, with both matches slated to begin at 7 p.m. in Macdonough Hall.
Navy enters the last weekend of the season holding a slim one-match lead over Lafayette and Holy Cross for the fourth and final spot in the Patriot League playoffs. Victories by the Mids in both matches assures Navy of its first postseason appearance since 1999, while a split of the matches will require the Leopards or Crusaders to lose one match for the Mids to advance to the league tournament.
"We have worked all season to be in this position, controlling our own fate," said Navy head coach Mike Schwob. "Now we just have to go out and take advantage of it. That won't be easy, however. Lafayette is playing as well as anyone in the league and Lehigh is playing their best ball of the season."
Navy defeated both schools earlier this season on back-to-back nights in the Lehigh Valley. Navy swept Lehigh, 30-21, 30-26, 30-21, Oct. 15, then squeaked out a narrow 28-30, 30-28, 30-28, 30-19 win over Lafayette one night later.
In the first Lehigh match, Navy recorded a .225 hitting percentage and held the Mountain Hawks to a .018 mark in the three-game victory. Ashley Van Hartesvelt (Sr., Breckenridge, Colo.) led Navy with 11 kills, but hit only .111 on the night.
Two of Lehigh's last three league losses have come in five games, with the Mountain Hawks losing 15-12 in both final games at Colgate and against Holy Cross.
"The key to our win over Lehigh earlier this season was a good start," said Schwob. "It will take another good start for us to be successful Saturday."
In the initial meeting with the Leopards, Van Hartesvelt totaled 27 kills and hit .396 to lead the Navy attack, while Beth McArthur (So., Roseville, Minn.) knocked down 16 kills, hit .364, hauled in 14 digs and recorded four blocks and Diane Sheldon (Fr., Colorado Springs, Colo.) recorded her first double-double of the season with 11 kills and 10 digs. Veronica Canto-Ponce led Lafayette with 20 kills.
As a team, Navy outhit Lafayette, .225-.116, recorded 19 additional digs and 5.5 more team blocks. Navy also overcame 21 service errors in the match, 11 more than Lafayette committed.
"It was a hard-fought match the first time we faced Lafayette," said Schwob. "Having three of the four games decided by two points shows how close it was and how easily Lafayette could have won. Their last two league losses have been in five games at Bucknell (15-13 in game five) and in a close four-game loss to Army, so they are really starting to hit their stride. Lafayette needs to beat us to keep their playoff hopes alive, so I know they will be ready for the match."
