Blocking Gives Falcons First MWC Game-Win Since 2005

Nov. 2, 2007

USAF ACADEMY, Colo. - The Air Force volleyball team accounted for its single-best blocking effort of the season during a four-game loss to San Diego state on Friday, Nov. 2, at the Academy. In their final home match of the season, the Falcons tallied 14.0 total blocks, including six solo stops. Although Air Force ultimately fell 30-16, 24-30, 30-21, 30-25, the win in the second set was the first game-win for the Falcons in MWC action in nearly two years.

Air Force had not won a game in regular season Mountain West Conference action since Nov. 11, 2005, although it did take one from TCU on Nov. 22, 2005, in the conference tournament.

However, the story of the night was blocking, as the two teams combined for 28 total blocks. Air Force's 14 blocks shattered the previous best of 9.5, which was set against North Carolina A&T in early September. The six solo blocks bested the previous high of four, while the 16 assisted stops were the third-best total on the year.

Sophomore Michelle Harrington led the Falcons with season-best eight blocks, including a pair of individual stops. Junior Jasamine Pettie collected five blocks (one solo, four assisted) and freshman Nichole Stilwell added two solo stops and a pair of assisted blocks. Stilwell is now just one assisted block shy of entering the Falcons' single-season record book. Sophomore Katie Batchelder (one solo, two assisted) and freshman Caroline Kurtz (two assisted) rounded out the Falcons' blocking machine.

Batchelder led the Falcons with 15 kills, while adding 12 digs for her seventh double-double of the season. Pettie put down 11 kills and led the team with a .259 hitting percentage. Playing in her final match at Clune Arena, senior Kim Kallabis collected 33 assists, which moved her into ninth-place on the program's all-time career assist list (1,449).

Also playing in her final home match, senior libero Morgan Dolan lit up her personal statistics, as she tallied a career-high 22 digs and her first-ever kill. In addition, Dolan accounted for two of the team's three service aces. Freshman Caroline Kurtz, who added the other ace, tallied 17 digs.

The Falcons are off until Monday, Nov. 12, when they travel up Interstate-25 for a showdown with current conference leader Colorado State. Air Force's only Monday night match of the season is slated to begin at 7 p.m., in Fort Collins, Colo.

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