Falcons Travel to New Mexico, TCU for Conference Matches
9/28/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 28, 2010
The Air Force volleyball team closes out a five-week, 13-match road trip this weekend with a pair of Mountain West Conference matches. The Falcons will travel to assistant coach Marc Swindle and senior Caroline Kurtz's hometown of Albuquerque, N.M., to take on New Mexico on Thursday, Sept. 30, before heading to Fort Worth, Texas, to face TCU in an afternoon match on Saturday, Oct. 2.
Match Notes 06: at New Mexico; at TCU 
IF YOU CAN'T MAKE IT TO THE MATCH
Both New Mexico and TCU will have live stats and videostreaming available during their matches with Air Force.
COACHING CONNECTIONS
Two thirds of the Falcons' current coaching staff has spent some time on the bench at the University of New Mexico. Assistant coach Marc Swindle spent the past two season (2008-09) as a volunteer coach with the Lobos, while head coach Matt McShane served as an assistant coach at UNM from 1987-2000. In addition, Swindle is a native of Albuquerque and a 1992 graduate of New Mexico.
DID YOU KNOW?
Air Force, New Mexico and TCU enter the second weekend of action with matching 0-1 records in Mountain West Conference action. The Lobos and Frogs dropped matches at San Diego State last weekend, while the Falcons fell to UNLV in their season opener. TCU fell in five (11-25, 25-17, 25-27, 25-22, 12-15) to the Aztecs, while New Mexico was swept (24-26, 22-25, 12-25).
FALCONS DROP CONFERENCE OPENER
Air Force dropped its Mountain West Conference opener to UNLV on Friday, Sept. 24. The Falcons fell in consecutive 25-15, 25-11, 25-16 sets.
AROUND THE MOUNTAIN
Caroline Kurtz moved to second in the kills (overall) in the Mountain West Conference, with a per-set average of 3.52, and is ranked fourth in points-per-set with a 3.82 average. Kelly Spencer is ranked seventh with 3.52 digs per set, while Nichole Stilwell's hitting percentage of .293 is ranked eighth. Jessica Hellmann is also ranked among the league leaders in assists per set, with a 5.25 average (ninth). As a team, Air Force is ranked third in service aces (1.07 per set).
WHAT'S ON DECK
After five consecutive weeks on the road, the Air Force volleyball team finally returns to Falcon Court at East Gym during the Oct. 7-9 weekend. The Falcons will host conference leader Colorado State on Thursday, Oct. 7, before facing Wyoming on Saturday, Oct. 9.
