Falcons Open Mountain West Play at New Mexico, UNLV
9/20/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 20, 2016
FalconVision Interview with Coach Swindle
The Air Force volleyball team begins Mountain West conference action this week with a pair of road contests. The Falcons, who finished the non-conference season with a 9-4 slate, will travel to New Mexico on Thursday, Sept. 22, before heading to UNLV on Saturday, Sept. 24.
Match Notes 05: at New Mexico, at UNLV 
FOLLOW ALONG FROM HOME
The Falcons' match at New Mexico will be streamed live on the Mountain West Network ... use the "Watch Live" link on the schedule page at GoAirForceFalcons.com to view the contest. There will be no video of the UNLV match. Live stats will be available for both contests. Links to both matches are available on the Falcons' schedule.
SCOUTING THE LOBOS
New Mexico enters the conference season with a 9-4 mark. The Lobos are coming off a 3-1 weekend in Arlington, Texas, where they defeated Houston Baptist (3-1), UT Arlington (3-1) and UTEP (3-2), while dropping a 3-2 decision to Samford. New Mexico is led by Cassie House, averages 3.39 kills per set, and Ashley Kelsey, who has recorded 4.28 digs per set during the first 13 matches of the year.
ALBUQUERQUE CONNECTIONS
Three Falcons have ties to the first stop on this week's road trip. Head coach Marc Swindle and freshman Alina Vanecek are natives of Albuquerque, while fellow freshman Bianca Walker hails from Roswell. Swindle is a 1992 UNM graduate and served as a volunteer coach for the Lobos prior to coming to the Academy in 2010. Vanecek spent her prep career at the Albuquerque Academy, while Walker attended the New Mexico Military Institute.
SOUTING THE REBELS
UNLV, which is receiving votes in the AVCA Coaches' Poll for the second straight week, is currently 11-1 on the season. The Rebels went 2-1 last weekend in Orem, Utah, defeating Cal State Northridge (3-0) and Utah Valley (3-1), before recording their first loss of the season to ninth-ranked BYU (0-3). Bree Hammel averages 4.00 kills per set, while four others account for at least two kills a set.
SERIES HISTORY
New Mexico leads the all-time series with Air Force by a 34-3 margin, while UNLV holds a 35-3 advantage in its series with the Falcons. Air Force, which last defeated the Lobos in 2003, defeated the Rebels at the Academy last season to snap a 31-match losing streak.
AROUND THE CONFERENCE
Following the non-conference portion of the season, several Falcons are ranked among the conference leaders. Elizabeth Pennington is ranked third in kills (4.17) and fifth in points (4.56), while Sarah Hellman is ranked fourth in assists (10.50) and Abigail Miksch is ranked sixth in both kills (3.87) and points (4.16). In addition, the team is ranked among the top half of the conference in assists (12.50, third), aces (1.44, fourth), digs (14.33, fourth) and kills (12.34, fifth).
A SEASON FOR THE RECORD BOOK
The Falcons finished their non-conference season with a 9-4 mark. That record accounted for the program's second-best non-league winning percentage in Division I history (.692), while the nine victories are the most non-conference wins since 2003 -- and the third-most during a DI season.
WHAT'S ON DECK
Air Force returns to the Academy next week to host Nevada (Sept. 29) and San Diego State (Oct. 1).
