Holy Cross Volleyball Wins Battle Over Navy, 3-0

Samantha Surface

Video: Postgame interview with senior Samantha Surface

WORCESTER, Mass. - Senior Samantha Surface (Fresno, Calif.) and junior Angela Chisholm (Millis, Mass.) both recorded 12 digs while junior Chelsey O'Donnell (Pittsburgh, Pa.) added 37 assists as the Holy Cross volleyball team swept Navy, 3-0, at the Holy Cross Field House Friday night by scores of 25-20, 25-23 and 25-19. With the win, the Crusaders improve to 3-18 on the season (1-5 Patriot League), while the Midshipmen drop to 6-15 overall (1-5 Patriot League).

Freshman Megan Lynch (Mendham, N.J.) led Holy Cross to its victory in the first set with five kills and two digs. Surface added five digs and two kills while O'Donnell had nine assists. Jenny Rudewicz paced Navy with nine assists in the first set, while Meghan Carpenter added three kills and libero Holly Berger had three digs.

After the two teams played even for the first 30 games of the second frame, Navy took six of the next eight points to open a 21-17 lead. The Crusaders rallied back and won four straight points with Lynch serving to take a 24-22 lead. After a Navy timeout, the Mids made it 24-23 on a kill by Abbie Merkl, but Surface responded with a kill of her own to give the Crusaders the second set, 25-23. Freshman Callie Black (Fallon, Nev.) led Holy Cross with four kills while O'Donnell added 13 assists. Rudewicz had 14 assists for Navy while Carpenter, Krista Eschelman and Ndidi Ibe each added three kills for the Midshipmen.

The third set also featured back-and-forth action. After an 18-18 tie, Holy Cross took the next two points to open a 20-18 lead. Eschelman would secure a kill for the Mids to pull Navy within 20-19, but the Crusaders scored the next five to close out the set and the match. In the third frame, Lynch tallied six kills for Holy Cross and Chisholm added 10 digs. Eschelman led Navy with five kills and Berger added six digs.

The Crusaders return to action Saturday, Oct. 17 when they will host Patriot League foe American at the Holy Cross Field House. The action is slated to begin at 4:00 p.m.