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Nov. 5, 2009

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- The Navy volleyball team will complete the home portion of its schedule this weekend when the Midshipmen play host to Army and Holy Cross. Navy will face the Black Knights Friday at 7 p.m. and the Crusaders Saturday at 2 p.m. Both matches will be played in the Wesley A. Brown Field House.

Prior to the start of Saturday's match, Navy will honor its three members of the Class of 2010 and their families: Krista Eschelman (Sr., Germantown, Md.), Aubrey Manes (Sr., Pratt, Kan.) and Abbie Merkl (Sr., Upper Marlboro, Md.).

"We're excited about the weekend," said Navy head coach Mike Schwob. "It's our last weekend at home and the last home matches for our seniors, so we have a lot to play for and are anxious for the matches to start."

The first meeting of the season between the Mids (1-9 Patriot League) and the Black Knights (10-0) saw Army post a 25-15, 25-17, 25-16 win over Navy Oct. 17 in West Point, N.Y. Army knocked down 46 kills and hit .373 in the match while Navy recorded 29 kills and hit .117.

Meghan Carpenter's (So., Frederick, Md.) nine kills led the Navy offense in the match, while Ariana Mankus finished with 16 kills to lead Army and all players on the night.

Holy Cross (2-8) also tallied a three-set win over Navy in the first meeting between the teams this year. The Crusaders posted a 25-20, 25-23, 25-19 win over the Mids Oct. 16 in Worcester, Mass. In a close match that included 11 lead changes and 28 tie scores, the opening set was tied at 16-16, the second set was tied at 22-22 and the Crusaders held a 20-19 lead over the Mids late in the third set.

Holy Cross finished the match with just three more kills and three more digs than Navy did, but the Crusaders outhit the Mids by 100 points (.323-.221).

Eschelman was the top offensive player for Navy during the match. She tallied 10 kills and just one error on 18 swings for an attack percentage of .500. Pacing the Mids defensively were Holly Berger (So., Claremont, Calif.) and Manes with nine and eight digs, respectively. Holy Cross' Megan Lynch led all players in the match with 14 kills to go along with her team-high .323 attack percentage.