Army West Point Athletics
Army West Point
Colgate
Volleyball Falls in Three Sets Against Colgate
October 04, 2025 | Volleyball
HAMILTON, N.Y. — Army West Point volleyball (10-5, 4-2) saw its first loss in two week on Saturday, falling to the Colgate University Raiders (10-5, 5-0), 3-0.
The match was also the first time that the Black Knights were swept in a match since their season opener at NC State on August 29.
Army lost in the straight sets 25-15, 25-17 and 25-20.
Match Recap
Army opened the set one on a strong note. Victoria Kasanganay scored the first point on a kill assisted by Naomi Chinchar. Mackenzie Lynch followed with another kill, giving Army early momentum. Marin Harvey and Chloe Murakami also contributed kills, keeping the Black Knights within striking distance.
As the set developed, Chinchar's setting played a central role. She repeatedly connected with Lynch and Murakami for points. Lynch was especially effective, recording multiple kills in the middle of the set and keeping Army's offense active. Murakami also made timely swings that broke up Colgate's scoring runs.
Despite these highlights, Army struggled with consistency. Service errors and attack errors allowed Colgate to build a steady lead. Colgate's blocking turned away several Army attacks and made it hard for the Black Knights to sustain rallies.
In the closing stretch, Lynch and Murakami continued to fight with kills that cut into the gap, but Colgate maintained control and closed out the set 25–15.
Army came out energized in the second set, trading points early behind a kill from Chloe Murakami, assisted by Naomi Chinchar, and an ace from Nicole Stroud. Victoria Kasanganay and Michelle Parker added early kills that helped the Black Knights stay even with Colgate through the first third of the set.
Chinchar continued to distribute effectively, setting up Parker, Murakami, and Mackenzie Lynch for consistent swings. Marin Harvey added a strong kill midway through the frame to tie the score at 14–14, showing Army's resilience after Colgate gained a brief lead.
However, Colgate responded with a run fueled by blocking and service pressure that put Army back on the defensive. While Lynch and Murakami continued to connect on kills to keep the Black Knights within range, several attack and service errors slowed their momentum.
Late in the set, Murakami registered another clean kill off a Chinchar assist, and Lynch followed with one of her own as Army battled to stay alive. Despite the effort and balanced offense, Colgate capitalized on late errors and a service ace to close the set, 25–17.
Army fought hard in the third set, staying competitive through the early exchanges. Chloe Murakami and Naomi Chinchar led the offense with multiple kills off precise sets, while Mackenzie Lynch contributed key points that kept the Black Knights within striking distance of Colgate.
The middle of the set saw Army struggle with consistency, as service errors and attack errors interrupted scoring runs. Despite these setbacks, Murakami and Lynch continued to generate points with timely kills and smart swings, preventing Colgate from pulling too far ahead.
Chinchar's setting remained central to Army's offense, connecting with Murakami and Breelyn Bender on several effective attacks. Marin Harvey also contributed a crucial kill late in the set, demonstrating Army's resilience in tough rallies.
Even with these efforts, Colgate's strong blocking and aggressive hitting created challenges Army could not fully overcome. Errors on both sides of the net limited momentum, and Colgate managed to close the set 25–20.
Black Knight Bullet Points
- Reigning Patriot League Player of the Week Chloe Murakami had a strong showing despite the loss, leading Army with 14 kills, a .195 hitting percentage and 15.0 points, all three being team highs.
- Naomi Chinchar led the Black Knights' ball distribution for the third straight game, finishing with 26 assists.
- Five cadet-athletes finished the match with two blocks. Those included Murakami, Victoria Kasanganay, Michelle Parker, Marin Harvey and Breelyn Bender.
- Chloe Murakami also added a match-high 16 digs, turning another double-double this season. Chinchar also added 11 digs, with Mackenzie Lynch and Ashli Alcala-Romero each adding eight.
- Nicole Stroud logged one service ace for Army, the lone point scored from the service line for Army.
- Overall, Colgate finished ahead of Army in several categories, one of the most impactful being hitting percentage, with the Raiders hitting .330 while Army finished hitting .128 percent.
- The Raiders also outpaced the Black Knights in kills (49-34), service aces (4-1), blocks (7-6), assists (45-33) and digs (67-52).
Up Next
The Black Knights will return home to Gillis Field House on Friday and Saturday for Alumni Weekend with matchups against Bucknell and Loyola Maryland.
Army will take on the Bucknell Bison on Friday, October 10, at 6 p.m. ET. Army and Bucknell split the 2024 season series last season, but Army gained a 3-2 Patriot League Tournament win over the Bison in their last matchup.
The following evening, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. ET, Army will take on the Greyhounds. The two teams also split the season series last season.
For fans who cannot make it to West Point for Alumni Weekend, the matches 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.
