Air Force Academy
San Diego State
Falcons Fall to San Diego State in Straight Sets
10/2/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 1, 2016
USAF ACADEMY, Colo. – The Air Force volleyball team suffered a three-set loss to San Diego State this evening (Oct. 1) at the Academy's Clune Arena. The Falcons, who dropped consecutive 25-19, 26-24, 25-22 decision to the visiting Aztecs, fell to 9-8 on the year and 0-4 in conference play.
Freshman Denise Ssozi registered her second double-digit kill total in as many matches, as she led the Falcons with 10 kills. Senior Savannah Banyai, in her second match at libero, accounted for a match-high 13 digs and three service aces, while sophomore Lauren Heldt and junior Piper Heineck tied for the team lead in blocks (three each) and sophomore Sarah Hellman accounted on 25 of the team's 28 assists.
Heineck put down a kill for the first point of the match, while Heldt added a score that brought the Falcons within one (4-3). The Aztecs scored the next four points, before Ssozi recorded her first kill of the night (8-4). San Diego State doubled up Air Force at 12-6, before sophomores Elizabeth Pennington and Abigail Miksch combined for kills on two of the next three points (14-9). A block from Heldt and Miksch put the Falcons in double figures (15-10), while Miksch added a pair of kills that brought the Falcons within three (18-15). Heineck and Pennington each accounted for another kill, while sophomore Ariana Mosley registered an ace, but San Diego State took the opening set, 25-19.
San Diego State struck first in the second set, but a kill from Ssozi and an ace from Banyai helped Air Force to a 4-1 advantage. Ssozi (two) and Miksch (one) added kills, but the Aztecs evened the set at seven. The teams traded the next three points, with Air Force earning its scores from Miksch (8-7) and Heineck (9-8). Banyai put down another ace to put the Falcons up three (12-9), while kills from Ssozi kept the advantage at three (13-10, 14-11). Miksch added a kill to give the Falcons a four-point lead (18-14), but the Aztecs pulled within one (18-17) three points later. Pennington put down a kill and teamed up with Heineck for a block, as Air Force pushed its advantage to four (21-17). Ssozi added a kill at the 22-18 mark, but San Diego State scored the next three points to cut the Falcons' lead to one (22-21). Air Force took a two-point lead at 24-22 off of an Aztec serving error, but San Diego State scored the final four points for the 26-24 victory.
Banyai registered another service ace, while Ssozi and Pennington added kills to help Air Force score five of the first six points in the third set. The Aztecs responded with the next five points to take a 6-5 advantage, before Heldt and Ssozi teamed up for a block that tied the set at six. The Falcons retook the lead off of an ace from Ssozi, while kills from Miksch broke ties at the 9-8 and 10-9 marks. San Diego State scored the next five points to go up three (14-11), but Pennington put down a pair of kill to even the set at 15. Hellman registered a solo block on the ensuing play to give Air Force a one-point lead (16-15), but the Aztecs matched the score at 16 and added two more scores to take an 18-16 lead. Ssozi stopped the visitors' run with a kill, while an ace from Hellman brought the Falcons within one (22-21). Pennington and Heineck teamed up for a block to hold the Aztecs at match-point (24-22), but San Diego State earned the final point for the 25-22 sweep.
Air Force continues its homestand on Tuesday, Oct. 4, when it hosts Boise State at 6:00 p.m.
