ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Navy setter Averi Miller ranks among the school leaders with over 2,700 career assists, but Saturday night it was her 200th career kill that capped one of the most memorable rallies in program history as the Mids overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat Army, 16-25, 18-25, 25-20, 25-20, 15-12, in the Wesley A. Brown Field House in Annapolis.
The match was the annual Star Match, part of the Star Series presented by USAA, between the teams.
Navy last engineered a "reverse sweep" when it defeated Air Force on Sept. 15, 2018, and last accomplished the feat against Army on Sept. 27, 2002.
Women's Volleyball
Navy Volleyball Earns Star at Home
The Navy women's volleyball team rallied from being down two sets to prevail in the Star Match with Army and earned the 3-2 victory.
by Navy Sports Information"Army-Navy matches never disappoint. Both teams left everything they had on the floor. I can't say enough about the crowd. There is no better atmosphere for a volleyball match than what we had tonight."
Navy head coach Paco LabradorSet One
Army took control early as the visitors built leads of 4-1, 9-3 and 16-9 in comfortably winning the frame. The Black Knights totaled 13 kills and limited the Mids to seven kills and also forced eight attack errors.
Set Two
The score was tied at 11-11 when Army first took a 14-12 lead that turned into an 18-12 cushion. The Black Knights registered an impressive 18 kills on their 25 points in the set. Conversely, Navy recorded just 11 kills.
Set Three
Navy was able to take several early three-point leads before Army closed to within one point at 11-10. It again was a one-point Navy lead at 15-14 when it pushed the lead back out to three points at 17-14 and then four points at 19-15. Back came the Black Knights and soon it was a one-point difference between the teams at 19-18. Jordan Llewellyn and Jamie Llewellyn promptly tallied back-to-back kills to make the score 21-18. After an Army kill, a service error by the Black Knights and a kill from Jamie Llewellyn improved Navy's positioning on the scoreboard to 23-19. That was enough of a lead to extend the match to a fourth set.
The Llewellyn twins combined for 11 of Navy's 16 kills in the set (Jordan had six).
Set Four
Army held slim leads until building advantages of 15-10 and 16-11 midway through the set. Navy bounced back and tied the score at 16-16. The score would again be tied at 17-17 and 18-18, then a kill from Paige Buzzerio followed by an Army attack error gave Navy a 20-18 lead The teams exchanged the next few points on sideouts, then a block by the Mids made the score 23-20. Ava Toppin, who had tallied one-half of the block assist on the previous play, knocked down a kill on the ensuing point to take the Mids to set point. Navy converted the chance on a kill from Jordan Llewellyn.
Army led Navy in kills in the set, 13-11, but also committed eight attack errors which doubled the total recorded by the Mids.
Set Five
With a raucous, overflow crowd hanging on every point, Navy quickly claimed a 4-1 lead at the start of the final frame. The advantage for the Mids grew to 8-4 and then 11-5. The Black Knights responded with a 5-0 run to tie the score at 11-11. The teams traded sideouts, then a kill from Buzzerio made the score 13-12 in favor of the Mids. Anna Klemeyer followed with a kill to take Navy to what an hour earlier seemed an unlikely match point.
Both teams had opportunities to score on what would be the final point in the nearly 150-minute match. After an Army dink at the net, Arleigh Hanson lofted a backset to one of the program's top setters. Miller naturally approached down the right sideline and launched a cross-court bullet that first went through two blockers and then hit the ground past two passers.