Air Force Splits Second Day of Falcon Classic

Aug. 29, 2015

USAF ACADEMY, Colo. – The Air Force volleyball team posted a 1-1 record during the second day of action at the Falcon Classic, in Honor of Amy Svoboda, which was held at the Academy's Cadet East Gym. The Falcons opened the day with a 3-1 victory over Northeastern (25-15, 19-25, 26-24, 25-13), before falling in straight sets to 16th-ranked Arizona State (23-25, 13-25, 17-25).

During the day's first match, the Falcons hit at a season-high clip of .262 and held the visiting Huskies to a hitting percentage of just .094. Senior Taylor Parker, who led the Falcons with a .421 average, connecting on nine of 19 attempts and just one error, was one of three Falcons to hit over .300 for the match, as classmate Maggie Sherrill hit at .400 (5k-1e-10a) and sophomore Shelley Spires averaged in at .320 (12k-4e-25a).

Spires was one of Air Force players to register a double-digit kill total, as she (12) and senior Akokwe Clement (15) paced all players on both teams. The Falcons received their offensive support from freshmen Sarah Hellman (24) and Shanleigh Conlan (18), who combined for 42 of the team's 47 assists. Backed by a pair of aces from both Parker and senior Rachael Bradley Powers, the Falcons combined for seven service aces.

Three Falcons posted double-figure totals in digs to pace all players on both teams. Hellman led the output with 13 digs, while Bradley Powers and classmate Rebecca Bates each recorded 12. Parker added a match-best four blocks, backed by one solo and three assisted stops.

Parker and Spires paced the Falcons against the nationally-ranked Sun Devils in the day's second match, recording seven kills apiece. Parker, who also tied with Sherrill for the team-lead in blocks (four), hit at a team-best .278 clip (7k-2e-18a) and notched the squad's lone service ace.

Clement led the team in digs, with eight, while the freshmen setting duo of Hellman and Conlan tallied 13 helpers apiece to combine for 26 of the team's 28 assists.

Air Force (1-3) heads out on the road next weekend, traveling up Interstate-25 for the Denver Classic. The Falcons will face Villanova at 4:00 p.m., on Friday, Sept. 4, before taking on the host Pioneers (12:30 p.m.) and UT-Arlington (5:00 p.m.) on Saturday, Feb. 5.

Footer

The appearance of hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the u.s air force of non-u.s. government sites or the information, products, or services contained therein. Although the u.s. air force may or may not use these sites as additional distribution channels for department of defense information, it does not exercise editorial control over all of the information that you may find at these locations. Such links are provided consistent with the stated purpose of this website.