WORCESTER, Mass – Junior outside hitter Taliah Lee and freshman middle blocker Isa Glover recorded career-highs in kills as the Holy Cross volleyball team was downed in five sets, 3-2 by Patriot League foe Navy Friday evening in Blaney Gymnasium.

The loss was 21st on the season for the Crusaders and 11th in league play while the Midshipmen move to 11-10, 7-5 PL with the victory.

Lee had a match-best 18 kills off 52 attempts hitting .173 from the outside. Glover was a force in the middle posting a personal-high with 16 kills, one ace, a block and a dig hitting .357 in the contest. Freshman setter/right side KK Green joined her teammates in double figures with 10 kills.

SET SCORES:
Midshipmen 3, Crusaders 2 (19-25, 16-25, 25-23, 25-21, 13-15)

HOW IT HAPPENED: 

• Navy aced the Crusaders to move ahead 7-3 early in the first set forcing the Crusaders into an early time out. Down 14-8, the Crusaders went on 7-2 burst thanks to blocks from Glover, Green, sophomore middle blocker Lacey Murphy, and Lee to come within one, 16-15. Holding a two point 20-18 lead, the Midshipmen outproduced the Crusaders 5-1 to take the set.
• The Mids early net presence continued into the second set as a block on the right side upped their score to 16-8. Two kills and a Holy Cross attack error increased the score to 19-10. Another Navy stuff at the net moved the edge to 10, 22-12. They won the set 25-16.
• Facing a 2-0 deficit in the third set, freshman middle blocker Kyla Harris belted a ball from the middle for a kill to trim the score to 17-13 as Navy took a timeout. Down one, 19-18, Glover started the comeback bid with a kill while senior setter Katie Russell placed an ace for the 21-19 edge. With the set deadlocked 21-21, Holy Cross ended up winning the set thanks to back-to-back Green aces. Lee completed the comeback for Holy Cross putting away an attack attempt from the outside.
• Late in the important fourth set, Navy led 20-19 following a kill. From there, the Crusaders put down three attack attempts with junior outside hitter Lily Eigner posting a kill which forced Navy into a timeout. Following the timeout, Harris recorded a kill. Sophomore defensive specialist Alana Whitwell won the set for the Crusaders via ace as it headed to the fifth set.
• The Crusaders scored the opening four markers of the fifth set and Russell set up Glover in the middle for the 5-1 lead. Navy came within one as they teams swapped sides. Another stuff at the pin from the Midshipmen gave them a 11-10 advantage. Holy Cross tied the game off a service error, but Navy notched the final two points to win.

INSIDE THE BOX:

• Holy Cross trailed by as many as six in the third set comeback.
• The Crusaders have played in 10 5-set matches this season.
• Russell (1,505) has climbed to ninth place on the program's all-time assist list passing Kathleen Philo (1,485, 2017-20).
• Freshman defensive specialist Elizabeth Hall has 18 assists (career-high) in three of the last four matches.

UP NEXT:

• Holy Cross concludes their home doubleheader weekend on Saturday, Nov. 1 versus Loyola (Md.) (6-15, 4-8 PL).
• First serve is set for 4 p.m.

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