Falcons Dispatch of Louisiana Monroe in Three

Sept. 12, 2009

CONWAY, Ark. - The Air Force volleyball team made quick work Louisiana Monroe during its final match of the 2009 Sugar Bear Classic in Conway, Ark., on Saturday, Sept. 12. Hitting .435, the Falcons downed the Warhawks 25-16, 25-12, 25-10. With their second sweep of the day, the Falcons finished second at the Central Arkansas tournament, with a 3-1 slate.

The Falcons improved to 8-4 on the season. The eight wins are the most for an Air Force squad since tallying 14 in 2003.

Air Force jumped out to a 5-1 lead, thanks in part to a kill and assisted block by junior Nichole Stilwell (assisted by Grace Konstanzer). Air Force continued to add on points, with a pair of kills from junior Jessica Hellmann, as well as individual kills from classmate Jessica Hellmann, senior Michelle Harrington and freshman Grace Konstanzer. Air Force posted back-to-back blocks and Stilwell added two kills as the Falcons rolled to the 25-16 victory.

Louisiana-Monroe took its only lead of the match with the first point of the second set, but Konstanzer matched the point with a kill. Junior Caroline Kurtz stepped up to the serving line and quickly pushed the Falcons to an 8-1 advantage. Kurtz recorded a season-high five service aces during the stretch, including a span of four straight. Konstanzer strung together four kills, while freshman Maile Lolohea, in the starting rotation for the first time this season, recorded a kill and assisted Harrington on a block, as Air Force opened its advantage to 15-4. Kurtz added three more kills and freshman Maiya Perich served up an ace, as the Falcons rolled to the 25-12 victory.

Stilwell put down the first kill of the third set and Air Force converted several ULM miscues into points to take the early lead. Stilwell, Hellmann and Harrington added points and a solo stop by junior Julia Hansen doubled the Falcons' lead to 14-7. Air Force led the set by 17-10 and rolled off the next eight points to secure the victory. Hellmann posted a pair of back-to-back kills and two kills by Kurtz closed out the Falcons' 25-10 win.

Stilwell paced all players with 10 kills, while Konstanzer added eight. Hellmann, who tallied six kills on eight attempts (with just one error), for a team-best .625 hitting percentage, added 20 helpers and two assisted blocks to her stat line. Kurtz recorded five of the Falcons' nine aces and tied with junior Kelly Spencer for the team-lead with nine digs. Harrington collected four blocks, including one solo stop.

Air Force opens Mountain West Conference action on Thursday, Sept. 17, when it travels to Utah. Action is slated for 7 p.m., on the Crimson Court.

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