Falcons Fall in Final Conference Match at TCU

Oct. 27, 2011

FORT WORTH, Texas - Several long scoring runs by TCU doomed the Air Force volleyball team during its final trip to Fort Worth, Texas, for a Mountain West Conference match on Thursday, Oct. 27. Facing the Horned Frogs, who will be leaving the conference at the end of the season, the Falcons fell in straight, matching 25-11 scores.

"Every match is a learning experience," head coach Matt McShane said. "We've been awesome in practice, now we just need to turn that into strong play in matches. The freshmen are learning where they need to be and how they need to get there. We've been great in practice, but the pressure of a game is different. We'll get better."

Air Force took a 5-2 lead to open the match, behind a trio of kills from sophomore Cami Richan and a block from Richan and freshman Kristen Holt. The Horned Frogs scored the next seven points to go up 9-5. Freshmen Megan Clary, Ayesha Hein and Lizzy Carpenter added kills, but TCU used another long scoring run to take the first set 25-11.

Carpenter opened the scoring for the Falcons in the second set, while an ace from junior Maiya Perich helped even the score at three. Richan and Clary put down kills, but the Horned Frogs doubled up the Falcons at the 14-7 mark. Carpenter put down another score, while kills from Hein and Richan helped Air Force reach the 10-point mark, but TCU matched the first set with another 25-11 win.

A pair of kills from Richan, as well as strikes from Carpenter and Holt, helped keep the score even at four to start the third set, as the two squads traded the opening points. TCU used a 4-0 run to double up the Falcons, before freshmen Victoria Foster (kill) and Hillary Keltner (service ace) brought the Falcons within two (8-6). The Frogs used a 9-1 run to separate itself from the Falcons, as Foster provided the Falcons' lone point during that stretch. Keltner and Richan added kills, but TCU completed the sweep with another 25-11 score.

Richan paced the Falcons with 10 of their 21 kills, while Carpenter posted a team-best .333 hitting percentage. The freshman connected on four of 12 swings, without registering an error. Keltner collected a team-high seven assists, while sophomore Josalynn Wise added six. Keltner and Perich, who paced the team with 11 digs, each added a pair of service aces. Richan and Holt accounted for the team's blocks, as the pair teamed up for a stop in the first set.

Air Force travels to Albuquerque, N.M., on Saturday, Oct. 29, for its second match of the season against New Mexico. The contest is slated to begin at 5 p.m., at Johnson Gym.

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