Air Force Academy
UNLV
Air Force Suffers 3-0 Setback to UNLV
11/15/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 14, 2015
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The Air Force volleyball team suffered a 3-0 setback to UNLV this evening (Nov. 14) in Las Vegas. The Falcons, who fell to 11-19 on the season (4-11 in conference), dropped the first two sets by matching 25-19 scores, before falling by a narrow 26-24 margin in the final game.
Senior Akokwe Clement registered a match-leading 13 kills, while tying with classmate Taylor Parker for the team lead in service aces (one) and blocks (four). Freshman Sarah Hellman accounted for 22 of the team's 37 assists, while senior Rebecca Bates tied for the match lead with 14 digs.
The Rebels took an early 3-1 lead, but Air Force registered five of the next six points to take a 5-4 lead. Clement and sophomore Piper Heineck teamed up for a block to start the run, while also adding a kill (Heineck) and service ace (Clement). Air Force maintained a one-point lead behind a kill from sophomore Shelley Spires (6-5), while a score from Hellman improved the advantage to two (8-6) and another kill from Spires pushed the lead to three (10-7). UNLV evened the score at 10, while Air Force matched scores off of kills from Clement (12-12), Heineck (13-13) and Spires (14-14). Hellman and Parker teamed up for a block, while a kill from Clement tied the set at 17, but the Rebels used an 8-2 run to take the opening set by a 25-19 scores.
Clement registered the Falcons' first two points of the second set, as Air Force and UNLV traded the first six points of the match (3-3). A kill and ace from Parker, as well as a kill and block from Heineck, gave Air Force a 7-4 advantage, but the Rebels scored four of the next five points to even the score at eight. The two squads traded points again, with Spires (9-8) and sophomore Elizabeth Pennington (10-9, 11-10) combining for three straight points. A block from Clement and Parker gave the Falcons a two-point lead (13-11), but UNLV scored six of the next seven points to go up 17-14. Clement and classmate Maggie Sherrill combined for three points, but UNLV repeated the 25-19 victory.
The Falcons took the early lead to start the third set, jumping out to 4-2 lead. Heineck and Sherrill put down kills in the opening run, while Clement and Parker teamed up a block. UNLV evened the set at five and took an 8-7 lead. Heineck put down a score to tie the set on the ensuing point, while she and Clement combined for the next two scores (kill by Clement, block by both) to give Air Force a 10-8 lead. The Rebels retook the lead (11-10), but Parker, Clement and Sherrill put down kills to help Air Force take a 14-12 advantage. The score remained close, with Pennington accounting for a pair of kills to keep the lead with Air Force (15-13, 17-14). UNLV tied the set at 17, but two errant serves and an attacking error from the Rebels gave Air Force a 20-19 advantage. UNLV took the 23-21 lead before Clement (kill) and Parker (solo block) evened the set at 23. Spires added a kill to hold the Rebels at match-point (24-24), but UNLV tallied the final two points for the 26-24 win.
Air Force returns to the Academy on Wednesday (Nov. 18), when they host Boise State at 6:30 p.m.
