HAMILTON, N.Y. – Army West Point Volleyball took on the top-seeded Colgate in the 2024 Patriot League Volleyball Championship match on Nov. 24. The Black Knights battled valiantly, claiming the second and third sets, but the home court advantage kicked in late in the fourth set and the momentum carried the Raiders to a 15-10 fifth set win and the Raiders claimed their fourth consecutive Patriot League Championship title.The match was a true battle between two powerhouse teams as both teams recorded 57 kills, both teams recorded 54 assists, the Black Knights notched 82 digs to Colgate's 89, and Army earned 81.0 total points to the Raiders' 80.0.Mackenzie Lynch and Juliette Myrick earned places on the 2024 Patriot League All-Tournament team for their efforts over the weekend. Lynch led the Black Knights against Colgate with 19 total kills on a .212 hitting percentage while Myrick notched 34 assists and 11 digs in the contest.Chloe Murakami delivered 13 kills for Army, picking up a team-second 14 total digs in her time on the floor. Nicole Stroud picked up a team high and match second 23 digs over five sets of action.
"It is hard to put into words how incredibly proud we are of this young team," said head coach Alma Kovaci Lee. "When we met for the first time in August, we were timid, inexperienced and unsure of ourselves, but these young women put their heads down, went to work, and believed in each other and their coaches. We never focused on wins and losses, but instead focused on our development as people, players and as a team. The buy-in from this team was immediate and, quite honestly, we were having fun."We gave an experienced Colgate team every bit of the fight we could give tonight and left it all on the court," Kovaci Lee concluded. "Their crowd was electric and their depth and experience won them this match. Our team did its absolute best and for that, we are extremely proud. I know we will see our team come back stronger next season."