Army West Point Athletics
Army West Point
15-6,9-3Patriot
American
18-4,11-1Patriot
Volleyball Falls in Straight Sets to American
October 31, 2025 | Volleyball
WEST POINT, N.Y. — Army West Point volleyball (15-6, 9-3) saw its first loss at home during league play on Saturday, falling in three sets to the American University Eagles (18-2, 11-1), 0-3.
With the loss, the Eagles sweep the season series against the Black Knights, who fell to the Eagles 1-3 in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 20.
The Black Knights fell in straight sets, 19-25, 7-25 and 19-25.
Match Recap
Army opened the match looking composed and competitive, keeping pace with American through the early exchanges.
Setter Naomi Chinchar distributed the ball well, setting up Chloe Murakami, Corrine Blackburn, and Janie Deapen for early kills.
Juliette Myrick added a few smart plays from the right side, and Murakami's aggressiveness kept Army within striking distance, and a service ace midway through gave the Black Knights a spark.
However, American's balanced offense and consistent blocking began to slow Army's momentum.
Despite late kills from Murakami, Blackburn and Myrick that trimmed the deficit, Army couldn't close the gap as American took the frame 25–19.
The second set proved challenging for the Black Knights, as American jumped out to an early lead behind strong serving and frontline pressure.
Army struggled to generate sustained offense, with several rallies ending in attack errors or blocked attempts at the net. Still, Murakami continued to fight, connecting on a few well-placed swings set up by Myrick.
Marin Harvey added kills to break up American's scoring runs, and Lynch and Chinchar provided moments of solid defense in the backcourt.
American maintained control from start to finish, using efficient hitting and service aces to widen the gap. Army's late kill from Harvey offered a small highlight, but American closed out the set 25–7 to extend its match lead to 2–0.
Army came out with renewed energy in the third set, looking to extend the match. Murakami found her rhythm early with a series of kills from both pins, while Chinchar's steady setting helped keep the offense balanced.
Deapen and Harvey chipped in with timely swings, and the backcourt defense, anchored by Hannah Hankerson, began to stabilize against American's aggressive serves.
The set remained tight through the midpoint, with the teams knotted at 15–15 after Army capitalized on American attack errors and a Murakami kill down the line. Sterling also made her presence felt with key blocks and a sharp kill that kept the Black Knights within one.
As the set entered its final stretch, however, American's block reemerged as a difference-maker, turning back several Army attacks.
Murakami continued to battle, recording her final kills of the match to keep the score close, and a combined block from Kennedy Jones and Michelle Parker provided a late spark.
Despite the push, American capitalized on a few Army errors down the stretch to secure the 25–19 win and complete the sweep.
Black Knight Bullet Points
- Chloe Murakami led the team with 14 kills on 41 swings for a .122 hitting percentage, adding nine digs and one ace for a team-high 15.0 total points.
- Naomi Chinchar guided the offense with 10 assists and added two digs. Juliette Myrick contributed nine assists, one kill, eight digs and one block.
- Corrine Blackburn tallied three kills, one solo block, and one block assist for 4.5 total points.
- Janie Deapen added four kills on 11 attempts for a .182 hitting percentage and chipped in three digs.
- Michelle Parker anchored the front row with three blocks and steady defensive play.
- Army totaled 22 assists, led by Naomi Chinchar with 10 and Juliette Myrick with nine and the team managed one service ace, coming from Chloe Murakami.
- Defensively, Army finished with five total blocks, including one solo and eight block assists and posted 39 digs.
- Army hit -.026 in the first set, -.200 in the second, and .051 in the third as American's defense limited offensive momentum. Overall, the team finished with 31 total points.
Up Next
The Black Knights remain in West Point for their final home game of the regular season, facing off against their biggest rival, Navy.
It will be the second time the two teams play each other this season. When the two teams played at Navy on Sept. 19, Army topped its rival 3-1, with the win also tabbed as the Star Match.
Senior Night will also take place prior to the 7 p.m. ET first serve, with Army honoring firsties Ashli Alcala-Romero, Norah Shattan, Chloe Murakami, and Mackenzie Lynch
For fans who cannot attend the match at West Point, the match will 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.
