Air Force Academy
Denver
Falcons Down Denver in Straight Sets
9/4/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 4, 2009
DENVER, Colo. - Backed by strong attacking, the Air Force volleyball team defeated Denver in straight sets during its first match of the Denver Invitational on Friday, Sept. 4. The Falcons, who hit .345 as a team, took down the host Pioneers 25-18, 25-23, 25-19. Air Force, in the midst of its best season-opening stretch in 10 years, improved to 4-1.
Three Falcons hit over .300 on the day. Senior Michelle Harrington connected at a .800 clip, connecting eight kills on 10 attempts, while committing no errors. Junior Caroline Kurtz hit .429 (10k-1e-21a), while classmate Emily Frick provided a spark off the bench at .312 (6k-1e-16a). In addition, fellow junior Jessica Hellmann, who assisted on 29 of the Falcons' scores, was a perfect five-for-five in kills.
Kurtz's 10 kills led all Falcons, while she also added a match-high 13 digs to claim her third double-double of the season. Harrington, Hellmann, junior Kelly Spencer and freshman Maiya Perich accounted for four service aces, marking the fifth-straight match that the Falcons have totaled at least four aces.
Air Force tallied the first point of the set, but quickly found itself in a 5-2 hole. Junior Nichole Stilwell recorded a kill, while Spencer added a service ace to help the Falcons tie the set at five. The two teams traded points, until Kurtz gave the Falcons a two-point advantage at 11-9. Frick and Kurtz posted back-to-back kills to expand Air Force's lead to three and the Falcons never looked back, Stilwell put down a pair of kills to close out the Falcons' 25-18 victory.
Denver opened the second set with a 7-3 advantage, but a 9-2 run by Air Force quickly switched the lead to Air Force's favor at 12-9. The Pioneers tied it again and the two teams traded points, accounting for several of the 12 ties in the set. Denver took the lead at 20-19, but a kill by Harrington matched the score at 20. The Falcons used several DU miscues to take the 25-23 victory.
Stilwell scored the first point of the third set, as the two teams battled to a 4-4 tie in the opening plays. Air Force took the lead for good on the ensuing point and never looked back. Perich served up an ace, while Harrington and freshman Grace Konstanzer tallied kills to double up the Falcons' advantage. Denver pulled within two at the 15-13 mark, but a pair of kills from both Harrington and Kurtz helped pull the Falcons out to 20-13. Harrington added a pair of points with a kill and an ace, while kills by Hellmann and Stilwell helped secure Air Force's 25-19 win.
Air Force continues action this evening, when it West Virginia at 5 p.m., at the Denver Invitational.
