The volleyball team moved its record to 3-0 in the Patriot League when they won 3-2 against Navy Friday night.
The Eagles traveled to Annapolis, Md., with determination and intensity, ready to maintain their unblemished league record. Despite struggling at points, AU finished the match, winning three out of the five games.
The win came from strong teamwork and outstanding performances from multiple players. Rubena Sukaj, the defending Patriot League and East Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Week, earned her sixth double-double of the season with a match-high of 26 kills and 12 digs. The Eagles' defense was also supported with Ivana Cebakova as she finished the match with a total of 23 digs.
Splitting time at the setter position were teammates Christina Nash and Tara Stradling, who each recorded over 20 assists, with 25 and 22 respectively.
Although the Eagles were unable to hit above a .200 average in any of the first four games, they were able to take advantage of all of Navy's mistakes. Losing the first game, American came back looking strong and won the second game with a score of 30-14. Navy's 12 errors in the frame and eight kills from the Eagles helped them gain hold of the win for game two.
Game three showed that both teams were ready to fight for it all. Eagle Sukaj led the team to 17 kills. Two Navy attacks were blocked by Claire Recht, who added two kills of her own. Nash tallied 13 assists and helped AU win the third game with a score of 33-31, giving them a 2-1 lead over Navy.
The match was tied again at 2-2 when game four became a Navy victory, forcing the two teams to play a fifth game. AU proved unwilling to hand the win over to Navy as it hit a match-high .286 hitting average with zero errors. Sukaj attempted nine of the team's 21 attacks, connecting on four and leading the Eagles to their third win with a score of 15-11.
The Eagles finished their confrontation against Navy with a 3-2 match final score. American doesn't return to the court again until Friday when they host Colgate University.
