Air Force Academy
Chicago State
Air Force Sweeps Chicago State, 3-0
10/10/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 10, 2008
CHICAGO, Ill. - Backed by its best hitting percentage of the season (.351), the Air Force volleyball team picked up its first victory since Sept. 13, as it swept Chicago State in straight sets on Friday, Oct. 10, in Chicago. The Falcons picked up consecutive 25-19, 25-14, 25-13 wins to improve to 5-13 overall, while CSU remains winless on the year.
Senior Kristina Stewart led all players with 10 kills and was one of five Falcons to hit over .300 on the night. Classmate Jasamine Pettie connected on seven of 10 attempts, while committing no errors, for a season-best .700 hitting percentage. Backed by nine kills on 18 attempts with no errors, junior Katie Batchelder recorded a .500 hitting percentage.
Junior Michelle Harrington and sophomore Nichole Stilwell tallied respective hitting percentages of .364. Harrington posted five kills on 11 hits (one error), while Stilwell added seven kills on 11 attempts (three errors). Stewart rounded out the .300 hitters with a .304 average, after recording 10 kills and three errors on 23 attempts.
Sophomore Stephanie Stanford, who started her fourth match of the year, collected 21 assists, while classmate Jessica Hellmann added 10. Stanford was one of six Falcons to record a service ace. Batchelder, Stewart, Harrington, sophomore Kelly Spencer and freshman Victoria Martinez added the others, as the Falcons posted their second-best single-match ace performance of the year.
Martinez led the Falcons with 13 digs, while Batchelder and Harrington tied for the team lead in assisted blocks with two apiece.
After jumping out to an early 8-1 lead, Air Force watched as the Cougars fought back to tie the first set at 15. The two squads traded the next two points before the Falcons were able to secure the 25-19 victory. In the second set, Air Force again jumped out to the early lead, but kept CSU from getting an advantage in the final plays to take the 25-14 win. The Falcons struck first in the final set and quickly rolled to a 16-6 advantage, before claiming the 25-13 victory.
Air Force wraps up its non-conference road trip through Illinois tomorrow (Oct. 11) night at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville. The match is slated to begin at 7 p.m. (CST) and will be played at Lincoln Middle School.
