Air Force Academy
Denver
Falcons Dominate Denver In 3-1 Win
10/21/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Game one saw Denver take the first point and Air Force quickly answer. The game remained a battle, with the Pioneers taking a slim lead and the Falcons quickly responding to tie it up. Air Force got its first lead of the game off of a kill by Molly White (Lafayette, La.) at the 9-8 mark. As Denver quickly tied it up on the next point, it looked reminiscent of the opening. With the game tied at 10, Air Force went on a 10-2 run to open up its margin, behind two Rebecca Gallegos (Las Vegas, N.M.) aces. Denver closed the gap to 27-24, but Air Force allowed DU just one more point, taking the 30-25 win.
The Falcons quickly took control of the second game, jumping out to a quick 3-0 lead and extending it to an 11-3 margin. Denver clawed back into the game and brought the score within five, but a Kristin Hamlett (Escondido, Calif.) kill sparked another Air Force run that moved the margin back up to ten and the Falcons controlled the rest of the game for the 30-21 win.
The third game opened with an Air Force point, but Denver answered on the following point. The Pioneers took a 6-4 lead, which the Falcons responded to with a tie and then added to it for a three-point margin of their own. DU returned the scores and the game continued as a back and fourth affair. Denver took the lead for good with its 14th point. The Falcons pulled it within one, three times in the final plays, but the Pioneers went onto win, 30-28.
Denver took the early 1-0 lead in the fourth game, but that was it, as Air Force went on an 11-0 run, behind the strong serving of Carly Siefken (Beaverton, Ore.). Denver earned its first point since the opening play to halt the Falcons run at 11-2. Although Denver added to its point total, Air Force continued to expand its own, drawing the margin of victory out to 26-9. Air Force rolled to the 30-11 victory and set two season records for largest margin of victory and keeping an opponent to a season-low 11 points.
With 25 kills, Diaz led a trio of Falcons with double-digit kill tallys. Hamlett tallied 17 kills, while White notched 10. Lamecca Jefferson was just one kill shy of the double-digit mark with nine. Senior Kristin Huitt (Fresno, Calif.) registered 51 assists, while also getting 12 digs. Diaz made 19 digs and hit seven aces in the four-game match. Diaz, White and Hamlett all hit over .300 for the game, while Huitt neared that mark with a .286.
Air Force (12-9/2-5 MWC) will travel to Albuquerque, N.M., on Friday, Oct. 24, to take on New Mexico (3-18/0-7 MWC) in Mountain West Conference action. The game, slated for 7 p.m., will take place at Johnson Arena.
