Air Force Academy
Utah State
Falcons Fall to Utah State on the Road
11/5/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
LOGAN, Utah -- The Air Force volleyball team dropped a 3-0 decision to Utah State this evening (Nov. 5) in Logan, Utah. The Falcons, playing in their only match of the week, fell in straight 13-25, 22-25, 18-25 sets to the host Aggies. Air Force fell to 9-17 on the season, while Utah State improved to 11-14.
Sophomore Abigail Miksch led the Falcons with nine kills, while junior Piper Heineck and sophomore Elizabeth Pennington each tallied eight. Heineck also led the team in hitting (.400) and blocks (four), while Pennington tied for the match-lead with three aces. Sophomore Shanleigh Conlan and freshman Denise Ssozi rounded out the team leaders, as they paced Air Force in assists (27) and digs (10).
Air Force opened the match with three straight points, as Pennington put down a kill and Ssozi accounted for a kill and service ace. Pennington added another kill, but the Aggies used a 9-2 run to take a 9-5 advantage. Heineck recorded the Falcons' next two points (6-9, 7-12) and sophomore Lauren Heldt added a score, but Utah State doubled Air Force up by an 18-9 margin. Miksch tallied a kill that put the Falcons in double digits (10-18) and Air Force earned scores from Pennington and Heineck, but Utah State took the first set by a 25-13 score.
The Aggies scored the first three of the second set, before Pennington and Heineck put down kills that helped even the set a four. Heineck and Ssozi teamed up for a block, but the Aggies took a four-point lead (9-5). Miksch and Heldt accounted for kills, before teaming up for a block that sparked a 4-1 run by the Falcons. During that stretch, which brought Air Force within three (11-14), Miksch added a service ace and the Falcons claimed a pair of kills from Heldt and Heineck. Utah State scored the next three points, but Air Force responded with a 3-0 run (14-17) that included an ace from Pennington and a block from Heineck and Conlan. Utah State took a six-point lead (15-21), before Miksch put down back-to-back kills. The Falcons pulled within two (21-23) behind a 4-0 run that included an ace from Conlans and a kill from Miksch. Pennington added one more kill, but the Aggies hung on for the 25-22 win.
The teams traded the first eight points (4-4), with the Falcons earning scores from Miksch (two kills) and Pennington (one kill). The Aggies broke the back-and-forth action with five straight points (4-9), before Ssozi stopped their run with a kill. The freshman added another kill and Air Force used a 5-1 run to tie the set at 12. Pennington registered a pair of service aces during the run and teamed up for a block with Heineck, who also posted a kill. Utah State scored four of the next five points (13-16) and eventually extended its advantage to 22-15. Pennington accounted for two of the Falcons' final three points (kill, assisted block with Heineck), as Utah State completed the sweep with a 25-18 win.
Air Force returns to the Academy next week to begin its final homestand of the season. The Falcons open the week hosting San Jose State on Wednesday, Nov. 10, before hosting Fresno State (Saturday, Nov. 12) and Wyoming (Wednesday, Nov. 16).
