Air Force Academy
Boise State
Air Force Drops 3-0 Decision to Boise State
10/4/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 4, 2016
USAF ACADEMY, Colo. – The Air Force volleyball team dropped a 3-0 conference decision to Boise State this evening (Oct. 4) at the Academy's Clune Arena. The Falcons, who fell to 9-9 on the season (0-5 in Mountain West action), dropped straight 25-23, 25-19, 25-22 sets to the visiting Broncos, who improved to 12-6 overall and 3-2 in conference play.
Sophomore Elizabeth Pennington paced the Falcons with 14 kills on .370 hitting (14k-4e-27a), while adding a pair of service aces and tying for the team lead in blocks (two) with junior Piper Heineck. Sophomore Abigail Miksch also posted a double-digit kill total on the night (13), as she and Pennington accounted for 27 of the team's 41 kills. Fellow sophomore Sarah Hellman registered the 10th double-double of her career, as she led the team in assists (35) and digs (12).
Pennington put down a kill to open the match, but Boise State scored the next three to take an early 3-1 advantage. The Falcons' sophomore added a kill and a service ace as Air Force pulled within one (5-4), but the Broncos scored the next four to take a five-point lead (9-4). Miksch registered a pair of scores to help the Falcons cut their deficit to one (11-10), while a kill from Pennington helped tie the set at 12. The Falcons took the lead on the ensuing point, as sophomore Julia Boswell registered a service ace (13-all) and the teams traded the next several points. Pennington put down the Falcons' next two points (14-14, 15-14), while a kill and solo block from Miksch on back-to-back plays helped Air Force to a 19-16 lead. The Falcons reached the 20-point plateau off of another kill from Miksch (20-18), but Boise State evened the score at 21. The Broncos took the lead on the next point and, despite another kill from Miksch, took the opening set by a narrow 25-23 margin.
Boise State struck first in the second set, but Air Force scored four of the next five points, as a pair of kills from freshman Denise Ssozi bookended a kill and ace from Pennington. The Broncos responded with six of the next seven points to take a 9-5 lead, before Miksch stopped their run with a kill. Sophomore Lauren Heldt accounted for a kill, while scores from Miksch (12-9), Pennington (13-10) and Ssozi (14-11) kept Air Force within three. The Broncos extended their lead to six (18-12), before Miksch and Pennington put down kills that brought Air Force back within three (20-17). Boise State scored five of the final seven points to earn the 25-19 victory.
A service ace from Ssozi opened the third set, while three straight kills from Miksch tied the score at four. Pennington put down the next two points for the Falcons, while a kill from Ssozi gave Ari Force an 8-5 lead. The Falcons kept its lead at three following a block from Pennington and Heineck (10-7), while a kill from Ssozi pushed its advantage to five (13-8). Boise State pulled within one at the 14-13 mark, but Miksch, Hellman and Pennington gave Air Force an 18-14 lead. Three scores by Pennington pushed Air Force over the 20-point mark, but the Broncos evened the set at 21. Ssozi added one final kill, but Boise State completed the sweep with a 25-22 victory.
Air Force concludes its four-match homestand on Thursday, Oct. 6, when it hosts Utah State at 6:00 p.m.
