Thursday, October 11
USAFA
6:30 p.m. MT
Air Force Academy
12-8 (2-4)
2
vs
3
San Jose State
8-9 (3-5)
1
2
3
4
5
F
San Jose State
25
26
21
18
15
3
Air Force
21
24
25
25
12
2
Photo by: Mike Kaplan
Falcons’ Comeback Falls Short Against San Jose State
10/11/2018 11:21:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Elizabeth Pennington registered her first 20-kill match of the season this evening.
USAF ACADEMY, Colo. – The Air Force volleyball team's comeback against San Jose State fell just short this evening (Oct. 11), as the Falcons dropped a 3-2 decision to the visiting Spartans at the Academy's Cadet East Gym. After dropping the first two sets by 25-21, 26-24 scores, Air Force rallied to even the match with a pair of 25-21, 25-18 wins, but were unable to complete the comeback with a 15-12 setback in the deciding set.
Senior Elizabeth Pennington recorded her first 20-kill match of the season – and the sixth of her career – tonight, as she tallied 20 kills on .400 hitting to lead the match. Classmates Abigail Miksch (15) and Lauren Heldt (10) also posted double-digit kill totals, as the trio combined for 45 of the team's 53 kills. Miksch accounted for a career-high 20 digs, while fellow senior Shanleigh Conlan led the team in assists (26) and service aces (four). Sophomore Cambria Galloway rounded out the Falcons' stat leaders with a career-best 10-block performance (one solo, nine assisted), as the Falcons' out-blocked the Spartans 16-11.
San Jose State scored three of the match's first four points, but a kill from Miksch, as well as scores from sophomores Kathleen Medill (solo block) and Andi Ahlers (service ace), backed a 4-0 run by the Falcons that gave Air Force a two-point advantage at the 5-3 mark. The Spartans responded with a 5-1 run to take their own two-point lead (6-8), before Pennington and freshman Bailey Keith put down kills to tie the set at eight. Pennington and Miksch each registered a pair of kills, while Galloway put down a kill and teamed up with Miksch for a block that helped Air Force tie the set at 14. Pennington had a hand in the Falcons' next three points (two kills, block with Galloway), as Air Force pulled back within one (17-18). Heldt and Galloway teamed up for another block (19-20) and a pair of SJSU errors tied the set at 21, but the Spartans scored the final four points to take the opening set by a 25-21 score.
Heldt registered a kill and teamed up with Medill for a block, but San Jose State took an early 5-3 lead in the second set. Air Force responded with five of the next six points to go ahead 8-6. Medill registered a kill and a service ace during the run, while Pennington put down a kill and Galloway teamed up with Keith for a block. The squads traded 3-0 runs that ended with a Conlan ace and the Falcons holding an 11-9 advantage. Back-to-back kills from Miksch gave Air Force the 15-14 lead at the media timeout. The Falcons maintained a two-point advantage behind a pair of SJSU errors (18-16), a Heldt/Galloway block (20-18) and back-to-back kills from Heldt (22-20). Air Force earned set-tying kills from Miksch (23-23) and Heldt (24-24), but the Spartans registered the final two points for the 26-24 win.
San Jose State jumped out to a quick 4-1 lead in the third, but Pennington, Miksch and Medill tallied kills to help Air Force tie the set at five. The Spartans retook a three-point lead (9-6), but Air Force responded with five of the next six points to go up 12-10. Conlan earned another ace during the run, while Galloway and Pennington each tallied a kill and teamed up for a block. A pair of points from Miksch (kill, block with Medill) helped Air Force take a 15-12 lead into the media timeout. The Spartans used a 5-1 run to take a one-point lead (17-16), but Pennington put down a kill to even the set at 17. The senior contributed to the Falcons' next four points, registering two kills and assisting Galloway on back-to-back blocks (22-19). A pair of kills from Miksch book-ended an ace from junior Denise Ssozi, as Air Force took the set 25-21.
The Falcons took an early 7-3 lead in the fourth set, following a kill and back-to-back service aces from Miksch. San Jose State pulled within one (8-7), but Pennington tallied a pair of kills and Conlan accounted for two aces during a 4-0 run that pushed the Falcons' advantage to five (12-7). A kill by Heldt and a Miksch/Galloway block kept Air Force's lead at five (15-10), while a pair of kills from Heldt, a kill and service ace from Ahlers and a block from Medill and classmate Mackenzie Robertson pushed the Falcons' advantage to nine (21-12). The Spartans cut into Air Force's lead with a 5-0 run, but Miksch and Pennington each registered a kill, as the Falcons evened the match with a 25-18 victory.
Two Pennington kills and three SJSU errors helped the Falcons take a 5-2 lead at the start the deciding set, but the Spartans responded with an 8-1 run that put Air Force in a 10-6 deficit. Galloway and Miksch tallied back-to-back kills to stop the Spartans' run, while a kill from Heldt (9-11) and a Miksch/Medill block (10-12) brought the Falcons within two. A solo stop by Galloway helped hold the visitors at match-point, but San Jose State earned the deciding point for the 15-12 victory.
Air Force remains at the Academy this Saturday (Oct. 13), when it hosts Nevada at 1:00 p.m. (MT).
Senior Elizabeth Pennington recorded her first 20-kill match of the season – and the sixth of her career – tonight, as she tallied 20 kills on .400 hitting to lead the match. Classmates Abigail Miksch (15) and Lauren Heldt (10) also posted double-digit kill totals, as the trio combined for 45 of the team's 53 kills. Miksch accounted for a career-high 20 digs, while fellow senior Shanleigh Conlan led the team in assists (26) and service aces (four). Sophomore Cambria Galloway rounded out the Falcons' stat leaders with a career-best 10-block performance (one solo, nine assisted), as the Falcons' out-blocked the Spartans 16-11.
San Jose State scored three of the match's first four points, but a kill from Miksch, as well as scores from sophomores Kathleen Medill (solo block) and Andi Ahlers (service ace), backed a 4-0 run by the Falcons that gave Air Force a two-point advantage at the 5-3 mark. The Spartans responded with a 5-1 run to take their own two-point lead (6-8), before Pennington and freshman Bailey Keith put down kills to tie the set at eight. Pennington and Miksch each registered a pair of kills, while Galloway put down a kill and teamed up with Miksch for a block that helped Air Force tie the set at 14. Pennington had a hand in the Falcons' next three points (two kills, block with Galloway), as Air Force pulled back within one (17-18). Heldt and Galloway teamed up for another block (19-20) and a pair of SJSU errors tied the set at 21, but the Spartans scored the final four points to take the opening set by a 25-21 score.
Heldt registered a kill and teamed up with Medill for a block, but San Jose State took an early 5-3 lead in the second set. Air Force responded with five of the next six points to go ahead 8-6. Medill registered a kill and a service ace during the run, while Pennington put down a kill and Galloway teamed up with Keith for a block. The squads traded 3-0 runs that ended with a Conlan ace and the Falcons holding an 11-9 advantage. Back-to-back kills from Miksch gave Air Force the 15-14 lead at the media timeout. The Falcons maintained a two-point advantage behind a pair of SJSU errors (18-16), a Heldt/Galloway block (20-18) and back-to-back kills from Heldt (22-20). Air Force earned set-tying kills from Miksch (23-23) and Heldt (24-24), but the Spartans registered the final two points for the 26-24 win.
San Jose State jumped out to a quick 4-1 lead in the third, but Pennington, Miksch and Medill tallied kills to help Air Force tie the set at five. The Spartans retook a three-point lead (9-6), but Air Force responded with five of the next six points to go up 12-10. Conlan earned another ace during the run, while Galloway and Pennington each tallied a kill and teamed up for a block. A pair of points from Miksch (kill, block with Medill) helped Air Force take a 15-12 lead into the media timeout. The Spartans used a 5-1 run to take a one-point lead (17-16), but Pennington put down a kill to even the set at 17. The senior contributed to the Falcons' next four points, registering two kills and assisting Galloway on back-to-back blocks (22-19). A pair of kills from Miksch book-ended an ace from junior Denise Ssozi, as Air Force took the set 25-21.
The Falcons took an early 7-3 lead in the fourth set, following a kill and back-to-back service aces from Miksch. San Jose State pulled within one (8-7), but Pennington tallied a pair of kills and Conlan accounted for two aces during a 4-0 run that pushed the Falcons' advantage to five (12-7). A kill by Heldt and a Miksch/Galloway block kept Air Force's lead at five (15-10), while a pair of kills from Heldt, a kill and service ace from Ahlers and a block from Medill and classmate Mackenzie Robertson pushed the Falcons' advantage to nine (21-12). The Spartans cut into Air Force's lead with a 5-0 run, but Miksch and Pennington each registered a kill, as the Falcons evened the match with a 25-18 victory.
Two Pennington kills and three SJSU errors helped the Falcons take a 5-2 lead at the start the deciding set, but the Spartans responded with an 8-1 run that put Air Force in a 10-6 deficit. Galloway and Miksch tallied back-to-back kills to stop the Spartans' run, while a kill from Heldt (9-11) and a Miksch/Medill block (10-12) brought the Falcons within two. A solo stop by Galloway helped hold the visitors at match-point, but San Jose State earned the deciding point for the 15-12 victory.
Air Force remains at the Academy this Saturday (Oct. 13), when it hosts Nevada at 1:00 p.m. (MT).
Team Stats
SJ
AF
Kills
61
53
Errors
36
23
Attempts
175
156
Hitting %
.143
.192
Points
80.0
79.0
Assists
55
51
Aces
8
10
Blocks
11.0
16.0
Game Leaders
Kills
20
Aces
0
Blocks
5
Kills
15
Aces
2
Blocks
4
Kills
10
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
3
Aces
0
Blocks
10
Players Mentioned
S
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's VolleyballRS
/ Women's VolleyballMH/MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's VolleyballMacey Donathan Interview November 25, 2025
Tuesday, November 25
Macey Donathan Interview November 20, 2025
Thursday, November 20
Falcons fall in 5 sets to New Mexico
Saturday, November 15
Falcons reverse sweep Grand Canyon for 7th MW win of the season
Thursday, November 13
