Army West Point Athletics
Army West Point
10-4,4-1Patriot
Holy Cross
5-13,0-5Patriot
Volleyball Earns Third-Consecutive Win, Sweeping Holy Cross
October 03, 2025 | Volleyball
WORCESTER, Mass. — Army West Point volleyball (10-4, 4-1) earned its third-straight win in Patriot League play on Friday evening, defeating the Holy Cross Crusaders (5-13, 0-5), 3-0.
With the win, the Black Knights extend their win streak against Holy Cross to 13 consecutive wins dating back to the 2020-21 season.
Army won in straight sets 25-17, 25-19 and 25-20.
Match Recap
Army opened the first set slowly, giving up the first few points as Holy Cross capitalized on a couple of early attack errors.
However, the Black Knights quickly settled in with kills from Marin Harvey, Michelle Parker and Victoria Kasanganay began to find their rhythm offensively. A balanced attack allowed Army to close the gap, with setter Naomi Chinchar distributing well and connecting with multiple hitters.
Midway through the set, Army's defense stiffened. Blocks from Chloe Murakami and Kasanganay, along with Holy Cross attack miscues, helped Army erase the deficit and move ahead. A service ace from Murakami and timely kills from Kasanganay gave the Black Knights control, and they carried a 15–11 lead into the media timeout.
After the break, Army extended its advantage with more contributions from Murakami, who scored both at the net and from the service line. Chloe Murakami and Parker kept the Crusaders off balance, while Army's block forced Holy Cross into repeated errors.
Down the stretch, Army's offense was unstoppable. Chinchar's precise setting allowed Kasanganay, Chloe Murakami, and Michelle Parker to hammer kills from multiple spots on the court. The Black Knights closed on a dominant run, punctuated by back-to-back kills from Kasanganay and Murakami before Victoria Kasanganay sealed the set with the final swing.
Army opened the second set trading points with Holy Cross before Marin Harvey, Mackenzie Lynch, and Chloe Murakami found their rhythm at the net. Setter Naomi Chinchar distributed the ball efficiently, setting up kills for multiple hitters to keep the Black Knights in control.
The first big momentum swing came behind the service line. Ashli Alcala-Romero dropped in an ace to give Army breathing room, then Nathalie Tulumaris followed with back-to-back aces that stretched the lead further. A few rallies later, Chinchar delivered an ace of her own, and with the offense firing, Army pulled ahead 15–9 before the media timeout.
From there, Army's block took over. Harvey, Kasanganay, and Lynch combined to stuff several Holy Cross attacks, while Murakami and Michelle Parker capitalized in transition. Lynch's steady presence up front added more kills as Army kept pressure on the Crusaders.
Late in the set, Army's serving continued to create problems, forcing Holy Cross into repeated attack errors. Murakami and Deapen added timely kills, and after a final Crusader mistake, Army gained the 25–19 win and a 2–0 match lead.
Army came out firing in the third set, racing to a quick 4–0 lead behind kills from Marin Harvey and Mackenzie Lynch, along with a block by Harvey and Victoria Kasanganay. The Black Knights kept pressing, with Nicole Stroud sparking a surge from the service line with two aces that stretched the lead to 8–2.
Holy Cross attempted to rally, but Army answered immediately. Nathalie Tulumaris added her third ace of the evening, while Chloe Murakami, Michelle Parker, and Lynch continued to deliver at the net.
With strong setting from Naomi Chinchar, the Black Knights maintained a comfortable cushion around the midway point, leading 18–9 after consecutive blocks from Kasanganay and Lynch.
Though the Crusaders chipped away late, Army stayed in control with balanced offense. Parker, Harvey, and Hannah Hankerson chipped in late kills, and a string of Holy Cross errors brought the Black Knights to match point. Harvey sealed the 25–20 win with a decisive kill, closing out the sweep.
Black Knight Bullet Points
- Mackenzie Lynch led the team with ten kills, added three block assists and eight digs, and finished with 11.5 points.
- Michelle Parker had nine kills on 14 swings for a team-high .571 hitting percentage, and she added one block assist for 9.5 points.
- Marin Harvey contributed eight kills on 11 attempts for a .636 hitting percentage, while also tallying three block assists and one solo block for 9.5 points.
- Chloe Murakami provided nine kills, 14 digs, one service ace, and two total blocks for 11.5 points.
- Victoria Kasanganay was efficient with six kills on 13 swings for a .462 hitting percentage, and she added six block assists for nine points.
- Naomi Chinchar directed the offense with a new career-high 37 assists, chipped in two kills, one ace, and two digs, and totaled three points.
- Nathalie Tulumaris served three aces to lead the team from the line while Nicole Stroud also added two service aces for Army.
- Chloe Murakami, Naomi Chinchar, and Ashli Alcala-Romero each contributed one service ace.
- Chloe Murakami paced the defense with 14 digs, while Ashli Alcala-Romero added nine digs from the back row.
- Army hit .245 as a team with 46 kills, 20 errors, and 106 total attempts.
- The Black Knights out-hit Holy Cross 46–28 in kills and held the Crusaders to just a .124 hitting percentage.
- Army recorded eight service aces compared to only two for Holy Cross.
- The Black Knights finished the match with 14 block assists and 43 total digs.
Coach's Corner
"Naomi did a fantastic job today," head coach Alma Kovaci Lee said. "She ran the offense so well. She really well with our middles and our connected with middles and outsides."
"Our serve and pass really shined today," Kovaci Lee continued. "Overall, I am really proud of our team. Plus, any win in the Patriot League is a great win, and we hope to use this momentum heading into our game tomorrow."
Up Next
The Black Knights will make the drive to upstate New York on Saturday, Oct. 4, at 4 p.m. ET for a 2024 Patriot League Championship rematch in Hamilton against the Colgate University Raiders.
The two teams split the season series in 2024, then the fourth-seeded Black Knights played the top-seeded Raiders in Hamilton for the championship, where Army ultimately fell in five sets.
For fans who cannot make it to Hamilton, the match will also stream live on ESPN+.
Follow Along
For complete coverage of Army West Point women's volleyball, follow the Black Knights on X and Instagram at @ArmyWP_VB and online at www.goarmywestpoint.com.
