Falcons Fall to UNLV in Straight Sets

Oct. 14, 2006

USAF ACADEMY, Colo. - The Air Force volleyball team closed out the first half of Mountain West Conference action with a 3-0 loss to UNLV on Saturday, Oct. 14, at the Academy. The Falcons dropped straight 30-24, 30-21 and 30-23 sets to the visiting Rebels.

Freshman Katie Batchelder was the lone Falcon with a double-digit kill total, collecting 14 kills - her second-best output of the season. Junior Rebecca Gerton and sophomore Kristina Stewart were second on the team with five kills apiece. In addition, Stewart put down a team-best two service aces. Sophomore Ellen Bina topped the team with 11 digs, while junior Kim Kallabis recorded 20 helpers.

UNLV put the Falcons in a quick 4-0 hole, but Gerton's kill gave Air Force its first point of the night. Freshman Jocelyn Booker added another, but the Falcons found themselves down five. Behind strong serving from Stewart, Air Force rolled off four straight points. The Rebels again extended their lead, but Air Force answered with four straight serves from freshman Nicole Hartig. With that spark, the Falcons pulled within three at the 24-21 mark, behind several kills from Batchelder and classmate Michelle Harrington. Air Force stayed within three (27-24) before UNLV collected the next three points for the 30-24 victory.

The Falcons saw themselves slip into another early hole, as the Rebels collected nine of the first 10 points. With Stewart at the line, Air Force crept back into the game and pulled within five (15-10) off of a UNLV attacking error. Junior Morgan Dolan recorded her first career ace in a move that cut the lead to three (19-16), but UNLV doubled up the Falcons in the final minutes to take the 30-21 win.

An error by the Rebels and a kill by Batchelder gave the Falcons the first two points of the third set. UNLV tied it at two, but Air Force responded with the next three points (Batchelder kill, UNLV error and Kallabis ace). UNLV again came back to tie the set at six and seven, but Gerton and Stewart teamed up for a pair of kills to pull the Falcons' lead to 9-7. The Rebels responded to even up the score at nine, before taking its first lead of the game. Three long scoring runs by UNLV put the Falcons down seven at the 21-14 mark. Back-to-back kills from Batchelder crossed the Falcons over the 20-point plateau, but UNLV went on to claim the set, 30-23.

The Falcons step away from MWC action for a pair of non-conference matches on Monday, Oct. 16. The Falcons will travel to Mississippi for matches against Centenary (3 p.m.) and Alcorn State (7 p.m.). Both matches are scheduled to take place at the E.E. Simmons Gymnasium on the campus of ASU.

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Players Mentioned

Michelle Harrington

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