ANNAPOLIS, Md. - With a 14th straight win against Navy on Sunday afternoon, the American University volleyball team is the Patriot League regular season champion. The Eagles were strong across the board in the win, hitting .319 as a team, committing just one reception error, and totaling 10 blocks. AU was led by
Elise Sterling, who hit .522 on 13 kills and added a career-high seven blocks, while
Deniz Dakak dished out 44 assists and reached 1,000 in her career.
Notable
- American has secured a bye to the Patriot League semifinal round and will host the Patriot League Tournament semifinals (Nov. 21) and championship (Nov. 23).
- Just a sophomore, the milestone comes for Dakak in what's been a stellar breakout season. The setter from Istanbul, Turkey is up to 916 assists on the year, leading the Patriot League in every week of the season. Today, she also added six blocks and seven digs.
- Sterling's fellow blocker Prinzez Zeck added to a great afternoon up front, finding 11 kills and hitting 524.
- Sophie Dufour paced AU in kills with 17, hitting .286. She added a service ace, three digs, and a block.
- Bella Marrero and Salme Adeele Hollas both took on 13 digs, with Marrero adding three assists.
How it Happened
- AU had to stave off a determined comeback effort from Navy late in the first set, holding on to take it 25-23.
- The Eagles were cruising to the finish line with a 17-9 lead, but an 11-5 run from the Midshipmen cut the score to 22-20 and forced a timeout from Ahen Kim. Out of the break, AU got kills from Prinzez Zeck and Elise Sterling in between a setting error from Navy to get to 25. Dufour powered American with six kills in the frame.
- Set two was a similar story, with the Mids falling behind early and scratching their way back into it late. The Eagles led 23-14 and Navy went on a 5-0 run to narrow it at 23-19, but kills from Dufour and Hollas ended it.
- AU was in a groove in the second set, hitting .406 as a team. It was Dufour leading the way again, putting down seven kills.
- The two teams traded punches in the final set, with Navy clawing to try to avoid the sweep. With a one-point lead for AU at 16-15, the Eagles bursted out on an 7-0 run to break it open.
- American scored five kills on the run, along with a block from Sterling and Dakak. Sterling and Zeck put down the final two kills to end the set and the match.
Up Next
- The Eagles close out the regular season on the road at Lafayette next Friday. First serve is set for 5 p.m.
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