Annapolis, Md. – The Le Moyne College volleyball team closed out the Navy Invitational against the host Midshipmen on Saturday afternoon. The Dolphins dropped the match in three sets, 25-17, 28-26, 25-17 to bring them to a 1-7 record on the season.
After falling 25-17 in set one, Le Moyne stormed back in set two to take the lead 16-15 after going back-and-forth with the Mids through the first half. The Dolphins kept within striking distance, eventually tying the set at 24, 25, and 26 points before Navy pulled away for two consecutive points to finish it out. The match hosts took a commanding 19-11 lead in the third set before closing out the match as Le Moyne was unable to mount a comeback.
Sophomore outside hitter Jordyn Hamlin (Manahawkin, N.J. / Southern Regional) led Le Moyne with eight kills in the match while junior opposite hitter Branwyn Lupton (Napanee, O.N. / Napanee District Secondary School) and sophomore outside hitter Nina Salas (Austin, T.X. / McNeil) both added another seven kills. Hamlin and Salas also led the way with a pair of service aces each as senior setter Haley Gerken (Buffalo, N.Y. / Frontier) rounded out the offense with a team-high 13 assists against Navy. Defensively, Salas brought in a match-best 11 digs while Lupton and freshman middle hitter Eiley Schneider (Ramsey, N.J./Ramsey) led the squad with three blocks apiece.
For the Mids, Ava Toppin put up a match-leading 11 kills while Amara Chambers added three service aces and Arlegh Hanson added 18 assists in the match. Chambers also led with 10 digs in the victory, to go alongside Julia Humphrey's match-best four blocks.
Le Moyne will return home to host Canisius University on Ted Grant Court at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 17.