Air Force Academy
San Diego State
Falcons Fall in Three to San Diego State
10/4/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 4, 2007
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Senior Kim Kallabis accounted for three service aces, as the Air Force volleyball team dropped a straight-set match to San Diego State in Mountain West Conference action on Thursday, Oct. 4 in San Diego, Calif. As the Aztecs hit a season-best .421, the Falcons fell in straight 30-13, 30-16 and 30-17 sets.
San Diego State struck first, but Air Force quickly responded and took the early lead off of a service ace by freshman Caroline Kurtz. The Aztecs responded with four straight points, but the Falcons responded to pull the score to within one, when sophomore Michelle Harrington tallied the squad's first kill of the night. SDSU cemented their lead following a 14-2 run. Sophomore Katie Batchelder and junior Kristina Stewart added kills, but Air Force fell to San Diego State in the first set by a 30-13 margin.
Batchelder posted a kill in the opening plays of the second game, but Air Force found itself in an early 8-1 hole. Batchelder added another kill and senior Kim Kallabis recorded an ace, but San Diego State had doubled-Air Force by a 16-8 advantage. Stilwell added another kill, as did classmate Julia Hansen. Harrington produced back-to-back points for the Falcons, behind a kill and an assisted block with Batchelder, but the Falcons ultimately fell 30-16 to the Aztecs.
Air Force kept the third game within one behind a block from Harrington and Stewart. The Aztecs took a four-point lead, but Hansen added another kill. San Diego State continued to improve its lead, pulling out to a nine-point lead, before Hansen added another pair of kills. Air Force continued to add kills, backed by three from Batchelder and two from Stewart. Kallabis collected a pair of back-to-back service aces, but Air Force dropped the final match by a 30-17 score.
Kallabis, who had a team-leading 18 assists, tied for the match lead with three service aces. Batchelder led the team with eight kills, while Stewart and Hansen added totals of five and four, respectively. Senior Rebecca Gerton collected six digs, while Harrington tallied a team-best two assisted blocks.
Air Force continues on the road this Saturday (Oct. 6), when it travels to Las Vegas, Nev., for a Mountain West Conference match-up with UNLV. The first serve is slated for 7 p.m. (PST).
