Air Force Academy
Louisiana
Falcons Sweep Friday Matches in Louisiana
9/2/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 2, 2016
LAFAYETTE, La. - The Air Force volleyball team picked up a pair of victories during the first day of competition at the Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic in Lafayette, La., on Friday, Sept. 2. The Falcons defeated Nicholls State 3-1 in the afternoon, before picking up a thrilling 3-2 comeback victory over Louisiana in the evening.
The Falcons opened the day with a 25-16, 25-22, 17-25, 26-24 victory over Nicholls State, overcoming a 24-22 deficit in the fourth set to secure the victory. Junior Natalie Seitz, who recorded her second 20-dig match of the short season (21), led a quartet of Falcons in double-digit dig totals. Sophomore Shanleigh Conlan and senior Savannah Banyai added dig totals of 15 and 14, respectively, while sophomore Sarah Hellman accounted for 12. Hellman also accounted for 33 assists, while Conlan led all players with three aces ââ'¬" a tally that she recorded on consecutive serves. Fellow sophomore Elizabeth Pennington tallied a match-high 19 kills, while classmate Lauren Heldt hit at a team-leading clip of .412 (9k-2e-17a) and collected seven assisted blocks.
The Falcons returned to Earl K Long Gym in the evening and rallied back from a 0-2 deficit to defeat host Louisiana by a 25-15, 25-12, 13-25, 22-25, 15-11 margin. Pennington posted another 19-kill performance in the nightcap, while sophomore Abigail Miksch accounted for 15 and junior Piper Heineck added 10 on .533 hitting (10-2-15). Hellman assisted on 48 of the team's 53 assists, while sophomore Ariana Mosley tallied three service aces. Defensively, Seitz (22) and Conlan (11) combined for 33 digs, while Heineck and Heldt tallied four blocks each. Heineck posted a season-high three solo blocks, while Heldt and Hellman each added one.
The Falcons close out the Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic tomorrow (Sept. 3), when they face Alabama A&M at 12:30 p.m. (CT), inside Earl K Long Gym.
