Air Force Drops Season Opener to Bowling Green

Aug. 26, 2011

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Air Force volleyball team dropped its season-opening match to Bowling Green during the first contest of the Kristen Dickmann Invitational on Friday, Aug. 26, in Annapolis, Md. The Falcons, who fell 28-26, 25-16, 25-16, was led by freshman Ayesha Hein, who amassed a team-high 11 kills in her Air Force debut.

Hein, one of five freshmen in the starting rotation, connected on 11 of 26 attempts, while committing just three errors to lead the team with a .308 hitting percentage. The freshman also recorded four of the squad's nine service aces, while sophomore Cami Richan and freshman Lizzy Carpenter each added a pair of aces.

Richan, who added eight kills, collected a team-high and career-best eight digs. Junior Maiya Perich added six digs, while freshman Hillary Keltner posted a team-high 19 assists.

The Falcons opened the set down 5-1, but an ace by Richan and a kill by Hein helped pulled the Falcons within one at 5-4. A kill from Richan and an ace by Carpenter pulled Air Force within one at 11-10, and the pair repeated the series to give Air Force its first lead of the match. Hein added another kill to put the Falcons up 13-11 and force BGSU into a timeout. Bowling Green regained the lead at 16-15, before freshman Kristen Holt recorded a kill that helped the Falcons tie the set at 17. BGSU edged out another lead, before Hein and Richan put down kills that evened the set at 22. Freshman Victoria Foster recorded kills to keep the Falcons tied at 23 and again at 24.Air Force went up 25-24, but Bowling Green scored four of the next five points to finish with the narrow 28-26 victory.

Air Force found itself in a quick 6-1 deficit to start the second set, but pulled within two at the 11-9 mark. Hein collected three kills during the run, while Foster and Holt teamed up for a block and fellow freshman Emma Dridge added an ace. Kills from Richan and Hein helped bring Air Force within one (13-12), but Bowling Green used a 7-1 run to take a 20-13 advantage. Foster collected a kill and Hein added an ace, but BGSU took the set by a 25-16 margin.

Bowling Green scored the first four points of the third set, before Richan stopped their run with a kill. Trailing 7-3, Hein rattled off three straight service aces to bring Air Force within one. Holt and Richan added kills, but Bowling Green doubled up the Falcons at 18-9. A kill and ace by Richan added to the Falcons' total. Keltner collected a kill in the final points, but Air Force fell by another 25-16 score.

Air Force continues action at the Kristen Dickmann Invitational in Annapolis, Md., this evening, when it faces St. John's at 5 p.m.

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