EASTON, Pa. --- The Army West Point volleyball team (11-5, 5-2) dominated the net in its 3-1 victory over the Lafayette Leopards (8-7, 5-2) on Friday night.Three Cadets finished the match with double-digit kills. Mackenzie Karnig tabbed her first double-double of the season with 16 kills and 12 digs with a .355 hitting percentage. Emmy Barnhorst led the team with 17 kills and four total blocks, while Paige Fixemer followed with 12 kills and six total blocks. Sayler Butters played a huge role on defense finishing the match with 28 digs, one short of tying her season high.Army finished the match with 14 total blocks to help hold Lafayette to a .100 hitting percentage. The Black Knights recorded 62 kills compared to the Leopards' 41.
How It Happened
Army opened the first set with two solo blocks from Karnig and Kingsley Wallace to set the tone. The teams traded points, but Army was able to maintain the lead. The Cadets went short runs to help keep their lead, capitalizing on the Leopards' errors. Army reached set point first but made attacking errors that allowed Lafayette to bounce back. The Leopards won the set 26-24. Karnig finished with four kills for the Black Knights.
Lafayette scored the opening point of set two, but the Cadets fired back to take the lead and never give it up. Barnhorst was dominant in set two with six kills with a .667 hitting percentage and two block assists. She and Karnig helped get the attacking efforts going to the Black Knights, allowing them to take a 12-5 lead over the Leopards. Army continued its momentum, taking advantage of errors by Lafayette to regain service. Fixemer helped at the net with four kills. Army took the set 25-17 to tie the match up at 1-1.
The Leopards jumped ahead at the start of the third set leading 6-2 before Army went on an 8-0 scoring run fueled by Savannah Bray and Fixemer with three kills each. Karnig and Barnhorst continued to play in a role in the Cadets' offense three and four kills, respectively. Lafayette fought back to bring it within three, 15-12 but the Black Knights went on another run to win the set 25-15. Bray led the Cadets with five kills while Butters recorded 11 digs.
Karnig threw down a kill to start the set. Lafayette answered back but could not stop Army from going on a 4-0 scoring run. Army maintained the lead throughout the set, only allowing the Leopards within one once. Short runs powered Army to the 25-15 set win, winning the match 3-1. Karnig finished with five kills and a .667 hitting percentage, while the team hit .387 it's best of the match. The Cadets kept Lafayette to a .088 hitting percentage in the fourth set recording four total blocks, two being solos.
Coach's Corner
"I am proud of our team's performance tonight. They had a great week of practice. Competitive, focused and showed a lot of desire to improve. Our passing game today was very good and that allowed us some great opportunities to put the ball down. Blocking did a great job with their assignments and defense was gritty. Our team was tough today. Looking forward to playing at home in front of our fans against a good American team tomorrow." - Head Coach Alma Kovaci Lee
The Cadet's Corner
"I think after that first set, we knew we could beat them, and we all rallied together with a super positive and energetic attitude. The court flowed really well tonight, and everyone trusted the person to the left and right of them. We simply played as one cohesive team!" - Mackenzie Karnig
Inside the Box Score
• Karnig is the fifth Cadet to record a double-double this season.
• This is fifth match that Butters has finished with 20-plus digs.
• Army recorded double-digit blocks for the fifth time this season.
Up NextThe Black Knights return home to Gillis Field House to take on American on Saturday, Oct. 9 at 4 p.m.
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