Army West Point Athletics
Army West Point
7-3,1-0Patriot
Navy
4-6,0-1Patriot
Volleyball Downs Navy, Securing First Star of Star Series
September 19, 2025 | Volleyball
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Army West Point volleyball (7-3, 1-0) claimed the first Star up for grabs in the Army-Navy Star Series, presented by USAA on Friday, downing the Navy Midshipmen (4-6, 0-1), 3-1.
The win not only marks the first Star Series win for Army West Point, but also the first win in Patriot League play for the Black Knights.
Army's rival, Navy, would claim the first set, 25-23, in a back-and-forth battle, but the Black Knights would take control.
The Black Knights took the next three sets, defeating Navy 25-20, 24-14 and 25-22 to clinch the Star Match win.
Match Recap
Army started slowly, allowing Navy to build a 4-1 lead off early kills and miscues on the Black Knights' side.
The tide began to turn when Norah Shattan came off the bench and immediately made an impact with a service ace to give Army its first lead of the set at 10-9. From there, the two military academies traded points in a back-and-forth stretch, with neither side leading by more than two.
Chloe Murakami kept Army in the fight with several clutch swings on the outside, while Mackenzie Lynch's steady attacking gave Army options in transition.
Marin Harvey and Michelle Parker combined for two momentum-shifting blocks that electrified the bench.
Army even saved two set points with kills from Murakami and Lynch. However, a late service error proved costly, and Navy escaped with a 25-23 set one win.
Determined to respond, Army came out with energy in set two. A kill from Parker and an ace by Shattan jumpstarted a 5-1 run that set the tone.
Harvey's presence on the right side forced Navy into tight sets, while setter Juliette Myrick spread the offense effectively, feeding Murakami, Lynch, and Bender in rhythm.
The Black Knights' blocking wall was a key difference, as Parker and Harvey stifled Navy's attackers, forcing them into errors.
Nicole Stroud added a critical ace midway through the frame that stretched the lead to 15-10. Murakami then went on a tear with back-to-back kills on the left pin, giving Army breathing room.
Navy tried to rally late, but Army kept its composure, closing out the set 25-20 after a hitting error. The Black Knights tied the match 1-1 and carried momentum into the third.
The third set was all Army. Naomi Chinchar opened with a service ace, and Lynch followed with a kill and a later service to spark an 8-1 start.
Murakami and Parker kept the pressure on, while Myrick's distribution kept Navy guessing. Lynch's aggressive serving added another ace and forced a string of shaky Navy passes that Army converted into points.
The Black Knights dominated the net, with Harvey and Parker stuffing multiple swings from Navy's outside hitters, and Army's lead ballooned to 20-10.
Navy never recovered, with Shattan chipping in an ace as Murakami finished the frame with a powerful kill from Myrick to lock up a commanding 25-14 victory. Army led 2-1 in the match and looked firmly in control.
The Midshipmen fought hard to extend the match, but Army stayed poised in the fourth set. Murakami delivered two early kills, and Parker hammered home a quick middle set to establish a 10-7 advantage.
Navy pushed back late, taking a 19-18 lead, but Army responded.
Lynch ripped a cross-court kill to swing momentum, then added a well-placed ace to make it 21-19. Shattan added another ace late to help Army close in on match point.
Fittingly, Murakami, who had been a go-to option all night, put the exclamation point on the rivalry win with her final kill. Army sealed the set 25-22, taking the match 3-1.
Black Knight Bullet Points
- Chloe Murakami led the team with 17 kills and added 10 digs, finishing with 18.5 points.
- Mackenzie Lynch recorded 10 kills, 10 digs, and two service aces for 13.0 points.
- Michelle Parker was efficient in the middle, posting 10 kills on a .600 hitting percentage with seven blocks.
- Marin Harvey chipped in 10 kills on a .350 clip and added three blocks.
- Juliette Myrick balanced the attack with 10 kills of her own while also handing out 29 assists and 13 digs, her second triple-double of the season.
- Breelyn Bender contributed 4 kills and three blocks, totaling 5.5 points.
- Naomi Chinchar paced the offense with 26 assists, 12 digs, and chipped in a service ace.
- Nicole Stroud anchored the back row with 16 digs and added an ace from the service line.
- Norah Shattan provided a team-high four service aces, including key momentum swings.
- As a team, Army tallied 61 kills on a .231 hitting percentage while holding Navy to .163.
- The Black Knights recorded eight service aces, 10 blocks and 68 digs in the four-set victory.
Coach's Corner
"I'm really proud of our team, they were resilient," head coach Alma Kovaci Lee said, "I'm really proud of our coaches for preparing themselves so well to take our team where they needed to go. I'm also proud of our entire staff."
"Everybody has been amazing through this entire journey," Kovaci Lee continued. "I wanted to give a huge shout-out to the group of cadets that came all the way here and gave us their support. It made us feel at home. Even though the environment at Navy was intense, we didn't feel it because they surrounded us with love, cheers and support."
"Both setters did an incredible job. We were able to get everyone playing. It is incredibly hard to beat a team that had five players in double-digit kills and one player close to double digits, but with a high percentage. So overall, our offense was good."
"I do want to talk about some warriors for us coming from the bench. It's not easy, especially in a game like this. Michelle was unbelievable coming in and was prepared for it, bringing her energy. Nicole came in and played like she was already in the game in that first set, and then Norah also came in and gave us some really tough serves. So I am very, very proud of those girls."
Up Next
The Black Knights continue on their road trip to start Patriot League play, heading one hour west to Washington, D.C. to take on the American University Eagles, on Saturday, Sept. 20 at 4 p.m. ET.
For fans who can't make it to Washington, D.C., 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.
