Air Force Academy
Wyoming
Falcons Fall in Four to Wyoming on Thursday
10/16/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
USAF ACADEMY, Colo. - Despite a career-high 19 kills from junior Maggie Sherrill, the Air Force volleyball team dropped a 3-1 contest to Wyoming on Thursday, Oct. 16, at the Academy's East Gym. Falling by 23-25, 22-25, 27-25, 17-25 sets, the Falcons fell to 9-12 on the year and 3-4 in league play.
Sherrill, who matched the career-high she first set against Fresno State last year, hit .349 on the night and tied for the team lead in blocks, as she and classmate Taylor Parker each recorded four blocks (all assisted). The pair helped the Falcons to a season-high 22 blocks, including a pair of solo stops from junior Akokwe Clement and senior Victoria Foster. Senior Kristen Holt and junior Raquel Rosas each added three stops, while Clement, senior Hillary Keltner and freshman Shelley Spires all recorded a pair of stops.
Clement, who added 11 kills, led the team in digs (13) to record her eighth double-double of her career. Junior Rebecca Bates added 11 digs, while Keltner assisted on 44 of the team's kills.
Holt and Spires each tallied a pair of kills during the opening minutes of the match, but Wyoming jumped out to a fast 8-4 lead. Parker recorded her first kill of the match on the ensuing play and the two squads traded the next 22 points, before back-to-back kills from Spires and Clement pulled the Falcons within two (19-17). The Cowgirls returned to a three-point lead on the next point (20-17), but Sherrill scored the next three points to even the score at 20 and added another two that tied the set at 22. Sherrill added more kill at 23-all, but Wyoming tallied the final two points for the 25-23 win.
Sherrill continued her hot streak in the second set and down the Falcons' first point, while Spires put down a kill and teamed up with Parker on a block to give the Falcons a 3-2 lead. Wyoming used a 5-1 run to go up 7-4, but Air Force responded with a 6-1 run to retake the lead at 10-8. During the run, Keltner, Sherrill and Parker put down kills, but Keltner and Parker teamed up for a block. The Falcons continued to lead following a block by Holt and Sherrill (11-9) and a kill by Clement (12-10). The Cowgirls evened the score at 12 and took the advantage on the next point. Parker (14-14), Spires (15-15) and Sherrill (16-16) all scored equalizing points, while a 3-0 run off of points from Keltner (kill), Clement/Holt (block) and Sherrill (kill) gave the Falcons a 19-18 lead. Wyoming scored the next five points, but Air Force pulled within one (23-22) behind a kill and solo block from Clement. Wyoming ultimately captured the last two scores for the 25-22 victory.
Sherrill and Rosas put down kills to open the third set, but Wyoming surged out to a quick 11-3 lead. Back-to-back kills from Foster stopped the Cowgirls' 9-0 run, while a kill from Clement and a block from Parker and Keltner helped cut into the visiting team's advantage. Another set of kills from Sherrill and Rosas saw Air Force pull within one (15-14), but Wyoming scored five of the next six points to take a five-point lead (21-16). Clement put down a kill and Foster notched a solo block to get within two (21-19), but the Cowgirls pulled within set point at the 24-20 mark. Sherrill teamed up with Parker for a block and put down the tying kill at 24-all, while another Sherrill kill and two Wyoming attacking errors gave Air Force a 27-25 victory.
Keltner struck first in the fourth set and a kill by Parker put the Falcons up 2-1, but Wyoming responded and quickly doubled the Falcons up at the 16-8 mark. Another kill by Parker, as well as back-to-back blocks, helped Air Force reach the 10-point plateau. Clement (two), Sherrill and Foster added kills, but the Cowgirls captured the 25-17 win to improve to 15-5 (4-3 MW) on the season.
The Falcons are back in action tomorrow (Oct. 17), when they host No. 6 Colorado State at 6:00 p.m.
