Army West Point Athletics
Army West Point
2-2,0-0Patriot
Hofstra
2-0,0-0CAA
Volleyball Drops Home Opener in Five Sets Against Hofstra
September 05, 2025 | Volleyball
WEST POINT, N.Y. — Army West Point Volleyball (2-2) opened the Black Knights Invitational with a second straight five-set match, but this time, falling to the Hofstra University Pride (2-0), 2-3.
The Pride took the first set 25-23, but then Army came storming back to take the second and third sets 25-18 and 25-19, taking a 2-1 lead.
Hofstra came back in the fourth and fifth sets, taking the fourth set 25-19 and the fifth and final set 15-5.
Match Recap
Army started with intensity, as Mackenzie Lynch powered home an early kill from Juliette Myrick before Naomi Chinchar dropped in a service ace to tie the score at 3-3.
Lynch followed with back-to-back kills and then a service ace that pushed the Black Knights into the lead at 6-4.
Chloe Murakami kept the pressure on with a service ace of her own, then added a kill in transition to extend Army's momentum. At the net, Tatum Grimes and Michelle Parker combined for a block to keep the score tight, but Hofstra responded with a 5-1 stretch.
Lynch's fourth kill cut it to 13-12, and Murakami later chipped in with her second ace to pull Army within one. Annette Lee played a key role late, forcing Hofstra into miscues on serve receive, but the Pride used their offense down the stretch to edge the opener, 25–23.
Army dominated the early stages of the second set, roaring out to a 5-0 start with Murakami hammering down a kill and an ace, while Grimes and Lynch each added kills to cap the run.
Myrick's quick tempo kept Hofstra scrambling, as Breelyn Bender connected on a kill in the middle and Lee followed with a service ace to make it 8-2. Blackburn entered and immediately provided energy at the net, teaming with Myrick for a block.
Lynch added her seventh kill midway through, and Murakami ripped her fifth kill of the match to widen the cushion to 17-10.
Though Hofstra closed the gap with back-to-back aces, Army's defense stiffened, Lee patrolled the back row with three digs in the final stretch, while Parker and Grimes combined for a late stuff block. Lynch iced the set with her eighth kill as Army closed 25-18 to even the match at 1-1.
Momentum carried over as Lynch struck first with two quick kills. Corrine Blackburn added a kill and followed with a stuff block alongside Grimes, sparking a 5-1 run to make in a 6-4 game.
Murakami joined in with her seventh kill, and Myrick fired in a service ace to push the lead to 13-8. Army's block proved decisive in the frame, Bender and Grimes stuffed Hofstra attackers at 15-10 and 18-10, keeping the Black Knights firmly in control.
Lynch crossed into double-digit kills, tallying her tenth of the night late in the frame, and Murakami polished it off with two kills to help close the set 25-19. Army took a 2-1 lead in the match.
Hofstra regrouped with its most efficient set of the match, opening with a 4-1 burst. Army responded with kills from Murakami and Blackburn, but Hofstra's serving runs disrupted Army's rhythm. Murakami and Kennedy Jones each added kills, while Lynch tallied another kill to keep Army within striking distance.
Then, Hofstra seized control with a 5-0 run. Although Murakami landed one more kill late, Hofstra finished the set 25–19 to even the match and force a decisive fifth set.
The decisive frame saw Hofstra seize momentum early, capitalizing on Army errors to build a 5-2 advantage. Lynch and Murakami delivered side-out kills to keep Army close at 6-4. But Hofstra rattled off a 9-1 run to finish the set at 15-5 and claim the match.
Black Knight Bullet Points
- Mackenzie Lynch paced the Black Knights with a team-high 15 kills on .293 hitting, while also leading the defense with 17 digs and chipping in three block assists, finishing with a match-best 17.5 points.
- Chloe Murakami produced a strong two-way effort with 13 kills, a team-high two service aces, and five digs, accounting for 16.0 points overall.
- Juliette Myrick delivered an all-around performance with 32 assists, four kills, 12 digs, and six total blocks (one solo, five assists), finishing with 8.5 points.
- Breelyn Bender anchored the middle with six kills and a team-high seven blocks (one solo, six assists), while also recording three digs, totaling 10.0 points.
- Annette Lee sparked the back row with a team-high 17 digs and landed one ace.
- Naomi Chinchar provided a spark off the bench with a double-double (12 assists, 11 digs) along with one ace.
- Corrine Blackburn contributed four kills and six blocks (one solo, five assists), both career-highs for the freshman.
- Tatum Grimes tallied three kills and three blocks.
- Army as a team recorded 47 kills, 68 digs, and 16 total blocks, but service errors (10) and attack errors (29) proved costly in momentum swings.
Coach's Corner
"I'm very proud of our performance today," head coach Alma Kovaci Lee said. "It was a tough and well-played game by both teams."
"I thought we played with determination, grit and toughness," Kovaci Lee continued, "we just need to continue to have that tough play for a longer period of time. The match was mentally and physically tiring, but we need games like that to get us ready for league play."
"I have nothing but pride for this team. We'll turn the page and get better tomorrow. But overall, I am really proud of our performance today against a really good Hofstra team."
Up Next
Army will make its second appearance in the Black Knights Invitational on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET, taking on the Rider University Broncs. Rider is 0-1 in the Black Knights Invitational, falling to Binghamton on Friday in three sets.
For fans who can't make it to Gillis Field House, 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.
