WORCESTER, Mass. – The Holy Cross volleyball team dropped a 3-0 Patriot League showdown to Army West Point on Friday evening in Blaney Gymnasium.

The win moves the Black Knights to 8-6, 5-0 PL while the Crusaders (3-11, 0-5) are still searching for their first Patriot League victory.

SET SCORES:

• Black Knights 3, Crusaders 0 (23-25, 18-25, 21-25)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• An Army attack error pushed the Crusaders ahead 4-2 in the early stages of the opening set. A freshman Emma Halstead ace with a junior Lauren Halverson kill kept the Crusaders in the lead at 8-6. Five straight by Army put them in front 11-8. The Crusaders battled back to lead by two at the media stoppage. A senior Sanaea Simmons free ball kill increased the Crusader margin to 21-18. Army notched three straight to tie the match at 22-22 on a ball handling error. Army captured the set 25-23.
• An Army ace opened up an 8-5 lead in the second set for the guests. Sophomore Rachel Johnson and Simmons teamed up for a block on the pin to drop the margin to one at 13-12. Army doubled up the Crusaders 12-to-6 the rest of the way to take a 2-0 match lead.
• A sophomore Gracie Reisman kill and a ball handling error gave the Crusaders a 3-1 lead early. Army took their first lead of the third set via a service ace. Reisman kept the hosts within one rolling to the right pin and mashing an attack attempt making it 14-13. Trailing by three, Halverson, Johnson and Reisman tallied kills to keep them close still trailing by one. Army out produced the Crusaders 7-4 over the final few serves for the win.

INSIDE THE BOX:

• Senior Halle Carter made her season debut for Holy Cross and handed out 11 assists.
• Halverson's nine kills paced the Crusaders.
• Making her first collegiate start, Halstead produced her first collegiate kill, totaled a contest-high three aces and a team-best 17 digs.

UP NEXT:

• The Crusaders will be back in action on Sunday, Oct. 1 at conference foe Colgate.
• First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m.

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