Air Force Academy
#19 BYU
Air Force Drops Conference Opener to No. 19 BYU
9/15/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 15, 2006
PROVO, Utah - The Air Force volleyball team opened the 2006 Mountain West Conference schedule with a three-game loss to 19th-ranked BYU on Friday, Sept. 15, in Provo, Utah. Air Force dropped straight 30-18, 30-12, 30-17 sets to the Cougars at Elaine Michaelis Court in Smith Fieldhouse.
BYU opened the scoring with four straight points, but sophomore Kristina Stewart and freshman Jocelyn Booker each put down a pair of kills to bring the Falcons within two. Booker added two more kills, hitting a perfect 1.00 in the opening half of the first game. Air Force again pulled within two as Stewart and junior Rebecca Gerton tallied a pair of kills. Freshman Katie Batchelder and sophomore Jasamine Pettie teamed up for a block, but the Cougars embarked on an 8-0 run en route to the 30-18 score.
BYU struck first, but Air Force took a 3-1 lead, thanks to a kill and assisted block from Booker. The Cougars scored the next six points to retake the lead. Pettie, who was celebrating her 20th birthday, earned a solo block, but a long scoring streak by the Cougars put the game out of reach for the Falcons, who fell 30-12.
A pair of bad BYU serves gave Air Force the early lead in the third set. Gerton and freshman Katie Batchelder added a pair of kills to extend the Falcons lead. BYU responded with a scoring run, but Pettie halted the run with another solo stop. Air Force pulled within two as Booker and classmate Hannah Sorber collected an assisted block. BYU again extended its lead, using a 14-4 run to close out the set and take the 30-17 win.
Although the Cougars are ranked second in the conference in terms of blocks, Air Force held BYU without a single stop for nearly all of the first two sets. In fact, the Falcons out-blocked the Cougars for the match. Air Force accounted for 5.0 (1 solo-8 assisted) blocks to 3.5 (7 assisted) blocks.
With four apiece, Booker, Stewart and Gerton tied for the team-lead in kills. Stewart also earned a team-high 12 digs, while Pettie collected a match-best three blocks (1 solo-two assists). Junior Kim Kallabis topped the team with nine assists. Booker posted the best hitting percentage of the night for Air Force, connecting on four of eight kills, while committing just a pair of errors.
Air Force continues its tough conference-opening weekend road trip tomorrow night (Sept. 16) as the Falcons face 21st-ranked Utah at the Crimson Court in Salt Lake City.
