WASHINGTON - After trading sets back and forth with Navy (8-8, 3-2), the American University volleyball team finished out a 3-2 match with a 15-8 win in the deciding fifth set. The Eagles (11-7, 4-1) got their fourth straight win and now stand alone in second place in the Patriot League.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The opening set was the strongest for the Eagles, who led from the get-go and never looked back. They hit .462 to Navy's .121 and came away with a 25-17 win.
• After committing just a single error in the first set, AU struggled in the second with seven errors to just 10 kills. 
• The Eagles trailed 18-13 before rattling off seven straight points to take a 20-18 lead, with freshman Zeynep Uzen serving throughout the run.
• After a tie at 21-21, the Midshipmen earned three straight points to put AU back on its heels, and Navy took the set 25-22.
• Despite totaling five fewer kills than Navy in the third set, the Eagles made up for it in efficiency. It was a close set throughout, but junior Olivia Wassner came on strong at the net in the final stretch, recording two blocks in the final four points and helping AU win 25-20.
• Another close set followed in the fourth, with the stat sheet evenly matched. Uzen had a strong showing with five kills, but AU lost momentum in the end and Navy evened the match at 2-2 with a 25-21 win.
• The Eagles never trailed in the fifth set, and used their strength on the block yet again to take two of the final three points and win easily, 15-8.
• Uzen, senior Jeanne Westney and junior Helena Elbaek all reached double digits in kills, led by Elbaek with 13. Uzen and Westney each served up a match-best three aces.
• Wassner finished with a double-double of 12 digs to go with 40 assists, and also recorded four blocks.
• Freshman Onuchi Ndee tallied a season-high seven blocks, and senior Kristen Largay led AU with 21 digs.
• AU and Navy have now gone to five sets in three of the last four matches against each other.

NEXT UP

• AU will play two Patriot League matches on the road next week, playing at Holy Cross on Friday, Oct. 18 (6 pm), and heading to Lafayette on Saturday, Oct. 19 (4 pm).

For the latest on American University Volleyball, check in with AUEagles.com and follow the team on Twitter (@AU_Volleyball), Instagram (@AU_Volleyball) and Facebook (AU.Volleyball).