Falcons Wrap Up Non-Conference Slate in Illinois
10/8/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 8, 2008
The Air Force volleyball team closes out its non-conference schedule this weekend, as it travels to Illinois for a pair of back-to-back matches. The Falcons will travel to Chicago, Ill., on Friday, Oct. 10, to face Chicago State for the third time in the last two seasons, before heading to Edwardsville, Ill., on Saturday, Oct. 11, to take on Southern Illinois-Edwardsville.
Weekly Notes 07: at Chicago State, at SIU-Edwardsville 
OPPONENT QUICK HITS
Chicago State is winless on the season (0-19). Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, in the first year of transitioning to the NCAA Division I level, is 5-7 on the year. The two programs met last weekend in Chicago, with SIUE taking a 25-17, 25-20, 25-12 victory from CSU. The teams will travel to matches on Tuesday (Oct. 7), before hosting the Falcons. Chicago State will travel to Orem, Utah, to face Utah Valley, while Southern Illinois-Edwardsville will head to Terre Haute, Ind., to take on Indiana State.
HISTORY 101
Air Force is 1-1 against the Chicago State, having split the 2007 season series. The Falcons defeated the Cougars in straight sets during last year's home opener, before dropping a 3-2 decision to CSU later in the year at Chicago. It is the first time that the Falcons have ever faced the SIU-Edwardsville Cougars.
NOTCHING A WIN
The Falcons picked up a set-victory against Wyoming on Saturday, Oct. 4. The 25-22 victory in the third set is the first conference set win for Air Force since Nov. 2, 2007, when it took a game from San Diego State at the Academy. It is the Falcons' second set win since the 2007 season.
GIMME AN ACE
After collecting just five service aces during the first five matches of conference play, Air Force equaled that total against Wyoming. Sophomore Caroline Kurtz tallied a pair of aces, while classmate Stephanie Stanford, junior Katie Batchelder and senior Kristina Stewart recorded the other three. It matched the Falcons' second-best single-match output of the season, trailing only the seven service aces Air Force recorded against NC State on Sept. 6.
WHAT A NIGHT!
Senior Jasamine Pettie had a stellar night against No. 12 Colorado State on Thursday, Oct. 2. She led all scorers with 11 kills, while also leading the field with a .500 hitting percentage (11 kills - 3 errors - 16 attacks). It is the Falcons' best percentage to date, surpassing the previous best of .429 (12-3-21) that was set in the season opener by Pettie.
ALL-AROUND CHAMP
Junior Michelle Harrington led the Falcons offensively and defensively in their Oct. 4 match with Wyoming. Harrington paced Air Force with 13 kills and a .333 hitting percentage, as she posted just two errors on 33 attempts. In addition, Harrington recorded a match-high six blocks, including her ninth solo stop of the year.
HELPING HANDS
Sophomore Jessica Hellmann has accounted for 378 of the team's 671 assists. Her 7.41 assist-per-set average is ranked eighth in the Mountain West Conference, while classmate Stephanie Stanford's 5.65 assist-pre-set average is ninth.
MORE NEWS FROM THE LEAGUE
Freshman Victoria Martinez is ranked ninth with a 2.98 digs-per-set average. The 19-kill single-match output that seniors Jasamine Pettie and Kristina Stewart have each produced is tied for sixth in the league, while junior Michelle Harrington's eight-block outing against Montana State is tied for fourth. The 67 kills Air Force produced against Kent State is fifth, while the 81-dig match against Montana State is the fourth-best single-match performance to date.
RANK YOU VERY MUCH
Three of the last four teams that Air Force has faced were listed in the American Volleyball Coaches Association weekly poll. Two weeks ago, Utah was receiving votes, while BYU was ranked 24th. And last weekend, Colorado State was ranked 12th. Although Wyoming wasn't listed in the national rankings, it had swept Utah and taken Colorado State to five in the Rams' arena.
