BETHLEHEM, Pa - Army West Point Black Knights will host No. 6 Navy while American welcomes in No. 5 Loyola Maryland in the quarterfinal round on Tuesday, Nov. 16. Both games will be live at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.
The winners of Tuesday's quarterfinals will advance to Saturday's semifinals where they face either No. 1 Colgate or No. 2 Lafayette.
Patriot League Volleyball Championship Schedule
Quarterfinal Round | Tuesday, Nov. 16 | Hosted by No. 3 & 4 Seeds
No. 6 Navy at No. 3 Army West Point, 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
No. 5 Loyola Maryland at No. 4 American, 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
Semifinal Round | Saturday, Nov. 20 | Hosted by No. 1 Seed
Lowest-advancing seed from quarterfinal at No. 1 Colgate, 4 p.m. (ESPN+)
Highest-advancing seed from quarterfinal vs. No. 2 Lafayette, 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
Championship Game | Sunday, Nov. 21 | Hosted by No. 1 Seed
Winner of Semifinal 1 vs. Winner of Semifinal 2, 4 p.m. (ESPN+)
No. 6 Navy (12-13, 8-8 PL) at No. 3 Army West Point (17-8, 11-5 PL)
Gillis Field House, West Point, N.Y., 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
Regular-Season Meeting: Army went 1-1 against Navy during the regular season, including a 3-1 win on Sep. 25 and a 3-1 loss on Nov. 5.
Scouting the Midshipmen: Navy is led by second-team All-League honorees senior opposite Avery Stowell and sophomore middle blocker Maggie Bodman. Bodman ranks fifth in conference play in hitting percentage (.312), while Stowell ranks seventh in kills per set (2.86). The Mids have two players in the top four in aces per set, with sophomore outside hitter Jordan Llewellyn leading the League with .48 and Stowell ranking fourth at .37 in League-play.
Scouting the Black Knights: The Black Knights head into the League tournament looking to capture the title for the second year in-a-row. Sophomore middle blocker Paige Fixemer and senior middle blocker Emmy Barnhorst headlined Army's All-League members. Newcomer, Diana Ethridge, leads Army's offense ranking third in the Patriot League for assist per set with 9.35. The freshman was named the 2021 Patriot League Rookie of the Year. Fixemer capped the regular season third in the Patriot League with 1.00 blocks per set.
No. 5 Loyola Maryland (17-10, 9-7 PL) at No. 4 American (17-13, 11-5 PL)
Bender Arena, Washington, D.C., 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
Regular-Season Meeting: American split a pair of matches against Loyola Maryland with a 3-0 loss on Oct. 5 and a 3-2 victory on Oct. 23.
Scouting the Greyhounds: Loyola is led by the four-time Patriot League Volleyball Libero of the Year and All-League second-team member Katie Forsythe and All-League first-team member Abby Hamilton. Forsythe ended her season campaign leading the League with 5.74 digs per set in the regular season. Hamilton enters the tournament second in the League in kills per set with 4.26. Freshman setter Kacy Sekunda ranks second in assists per set (9.83).
Scouting the Eagles: The Eagles are led by All-League first-team honorees Zeynep Uzen and second-team member Carlie Fikse. Fikse, a senior middle blocker, leads the Patriot League in hitting percentage (.335). Junior outside hitter Zeynep Uzen ranks third in the League in kills per set (4.03). American looks to bounce back from a semifinal loss to Colgate in the 2020-2021 Patriot League Championship to capture their 17th League title since joining the League in 2001.
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League's athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.