Army West Point Athletics
Army West Point
10-5,4-2Patriot
Lafayette
6-10,0-6Patriot
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette | 15 | 16 | 20 | 0 |
| Army West Point | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
Volleyball Bounces Back with Sweep of Lafayette
October 03, 2026 | Volleyball
WEST POINT, N.Y. — Army West Point volleyball (10-5, 4-2) returned to the win column with a dominant straight-set victory over Lafayette (6-10, 0-6), 25-15, 25-16, 25-20, on Saturday at Gillis Field House.
The Black Knights controlled the match with a balanced offensive effort, totaling 45 kills while hitting .209 and holding the Leopards to just 27 kills and a .038 hitting percentage. Army also recorded 72 digs and seven total blocks in the sweep.
Kennedy Jones led Army with 11 kills on 27 attacks for a .296 hitting percentage, while Juliette Myrick delivered another strong all-around performance with eight kills, 22 assists and 14 digs. Corrine Blackburn added eight kills while hitting .312, and Kealakai Bandy contributed five kills and three total blocks.
How It Happened
Army established control early in the opening set, with Breelyn Bender putting down the first point before Jones followed with two early kills. Myrick and Blackburn joined the attack as the Black Knights built an 8-6 advantage.
The separation came midway through the frame. With Army leading 13-9, Myrick recorded a kill before Lafayette committed an attack error.
Marlee Lightsey then took over from the service line, recording two aces during a 7-0 Army run that stretched the lead to 20-9. Bandy added a kill during the surge as the Black Knights took firm control. Army eventually closed the frame behind consecutive Jones kills for the 25-15 victory.
Myrick and Jones each recorded five kills in the first set, with Myrick hitting .500 and Jones hitting .364. Army totaled 16 kills and hit .227 while holding Lafayette to seven kills and a .051 hitting percentage.
Army carried its momentum into the second, jumping out to a 7-1 lead behind kills from Bandy, Myrick, Bender and Jones. The Black Knights also made their presence felt at the net, with Bender combining with Myrick and Bandy for blocks during the opening run.
Lafayette cut the advantage to 9-8, but Army quickly answered. Bender stopped the run with a kill before a series of Lafayette attack errors and another Jones kill pushed the Black Knights ahead 15-8. Blackburn later added a kill and solo block during another Army surge that extended the lead to 19-9.
The Leopards made a late push, but Nicole Stroud delivered a kill to halt the run before Bandy put Army at set point. A Lafayette attack error finished the 25-16 victory and gave the Black Knights a 2-0 match advantage. Army's defense held the Leopards to a -.020 hitting percentage in the frame.
The third proved to be the most competitive set of the match. Army raced out to a 6-2 advantage behind kills from Jones, Blackburn, Janie Deapen and Myrick, but Lafayette battled back and took its first lead of the match at 9-8. The teams went back and forth from there, with the frame eventually tied at 15.
Bandy helped Army regain the lead with a kill before the Leopards responded and moved ahead 19-18. Jones then sparked the decisive closing push, tying the frame at 19 with a kill.
Michelle Parker followed with a kill before Jones struck again to make it 21-19. Parker added another kill, and a Lafayette attack error stretched Army's run to four straight points and gave the Black Knights a 23-19 advantage.
After Lafayette pulled within three, Jones put Army at match point before Blackburn delivered the match-clinching kill, sealing the 25-20 victory and the sweep. Army saved its strongest offensive set for last, totaling 17 kills and hitting .268.
Black Knight Bullet Points
- Kennedy Jones led Army with 11 kills on 27 attacks for a .296 hitting percentage. Jones recorded five kills in the opening set and four more in the third, including three during Army's late push to close out the match.
- Juliette Myrick filled the stat sheet with eight kills, 22 assists and 14 digs, while hitting .333. She also added two block assists and finished with nine total points.
- Corrine Blackburn finished with eight kills on 16 attacks for a .312 hitting percentage, adding one solo block and one block assist. She was at her best in the third set, recording five kills on six attacks for a .667 hitting percentage and putting down the match-winning kill.
- Kealakai Bandy contributed five kills and three total blocks, including one solo block and two block assists, to finish with seven points.
- Michelle Parker made an impact in her third-set appearance, recording three kills on four attacks for a .500 hitting percentage and adding a block assist.
- Nicole Stroud anchored the back row with a match-high 17 digs while adding three assists, one kill and a service ace.
- Annette Lee added eight digs and went a perfect 7-for-7 in serve receive.
- Naomi Chinchar added 14 assists and eight digs, combining with Myrick to help Army finish with 41 assists on 45 kills.
- Army held Lafayette to a .038 hitting percentage, including a -.020 mark in the second set. The Leopards committed 22 attack errors against 27 kills.
- The Black Knights finished with 45 kills, 72 digs and seven total blocks, while Lafayette totaled 27 kills, 57 digs and six blocks.
- Army's offense improved as the match progressed, finishing with 17 kills and a .268 hitting percentage in the third set, its best attacking percentage of the match.
Coach's Corner
Hear head coach Alma Kovaci Lee's thoughts about Army's bounce back win over Lafayette!
Up Next
Army remains inside Gillis Field House for their biggest game of the regular season thus far on Friday, October 9 at 7 p.m. ET. They will take on the Navy Midshipmen, with the match tabbed as the annual Star Match, part of the Star Series presented by USAA.
Over the past two seasons, the Black Knights are 4-0 against the Midshipmen, and are 8-4 against the Mids since 2021. Overall, Army leads the series over Navy 57-21. Last season, the Black Knights earned a 3-1 win at Navy to claim the Star as well as earn their first league win of the 2025 season.
For fans who cannot make it to Gillis Field House, the matchup 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, online at www.goarmywestpoint.com and turn on notifications for volleyball in the Army Athletics app.
Army West Point Athletic Association, Inc. (AWPAA)
AWPAA is an IRS code 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation established to execute the United States Military Academy's intercollegiate athletics program. AWPAA is led by a board of directors that provides guidance to the director of athletics, who serves as the primary advisor to the USMA Superintendent and the USMA leadership on all NCAA operations. The AWPAA mission is to recruit, educate, train and inspire leaders of character who are committed to the Army values through an extraordinary Division I athletic experience.
