Volleyball Wins Patriot League Championship

Saturday, April 3

Hamilton, NY

3 PM

Army West Point

5-2,4-2Patriot

Colgate

8-2,8-1Patriot

Army West Point

Colgate

Volleyball Wins Patriot League Championship

April 03, 2021 | Volleyball

Box Score

HAMILTON, N.Y. -- The third-seeded Army West Point volleyball team claimed the Patriot League Championship with a 3-1 win over top-seeded Colgate Saturday afternoon at Cotterell Court.

"I'm so proud our team for the way they showed maturity today. Even though our women are young, they had the ability to be calm under pressure," Army head coach Alma Kovaci Lee said.

With the win the Black Knights have earned an automatic qualifier bid into the NCAA Tournament. Army will learn its opponent during Sunday's selection show, which will be televised on ESPNU at 4 p.m.

"I'm really proud that Army will be represented in the NCAAs. Knowing that we're not just representing West Point, but the army as a whole in the NCAAs feels incredible," Kovaci Lee said.

The freshman tandem of Mackenzie Karnig and Allanah Cutler led the Cadets with 16 kills apiece. Additionally, classmate Paige Fixemer and senior captain Monica Eckford both contributed nine. Hannah Presley, who was named the tournament's most valuable player, had 43 assists and no setting errors. Ana Oglivie led the team with 18 digs.

This marked the second consecutive match, which the Black Knights battled back after dropping the opening set. The Cadets had a 21-17 lead in the first set, but the Raiders closed out on an 8-2 run.

"We hit adversity and we said that game is done now," Kovaci Lee said about her team's response to dropping the first set. "That was a good moment for the growth of our team. And the players took it as a challenge and an opportunity to get better."

Army jumped to a 22-12 lead in the second set, but once again Colgate fought back to make things interesting using a 9-2 run to cut Army's led to 24-21. However, Karnig extinguished the Raiders hopes of another come-from-beyond victory with her eighth kill of the set.

The fourth set started out tight, but the Black Knights used an 13-4 run to push ahead 21-13. The Raiders worked to make it a five-point deficit, but Army won the set 25-17. Fixemer led the Cadets in the third set with four kills.

Army jumped to an 18-11 lead in the fourth set. The Raiders, however, would not go away easily. Colgate had an 11-1 run to take the 22-19 lead. The Black Knights closed out the match scoring six of the last seven points. Cutler led the way for the Cadets in the fourth with four kills and .667 hitting percentage.

"Allanah is such a hard worker and she has the ability to carry the team in big moments," Kovaci Lee said of Cutler. "She is mentally tough and very mature. She hasn't been recognized with big awards, but she is incredibly valuable to our offense. The team trusts her."

2020-21 Patriot League Spring Volleyball All-Tournament Team
Hannah Presley, Army West Point, Sr., S - MVP
Mackenzie Karnig, Army West Point, Fr., OH
Ana Oglivie, Army West Point, Sr., L
Cami Carfino, Colgate, So., DS
Bridget Kolsky, Colgate, Sr., L
Carlie Fikse, American, Jr., MB
Katie Kerins, Holy Cross, Sr., MH

NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS

This marks Army's fourth all-time Patriot League title and is the second under the direction of Kovaci Lee.
This will be Army's second berth into the NCAA Tournament in program history.
The Black Knights had 61 kills in comparison to Colgate's 45.