Saturday, October 13
USAFA
1:00 p.m. MT
Air Force Academy
3
vs
2
Nevada
Photo by: Bill Evans
Air Force Hangs on For 3-2 Win over Nevada
10/13/2018 8:51:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Abigail Miksch and Elizabeth Pennington accounted for over half of the Falcons’ 54 kills.
USAF ACADEMY, Colo. – The Air Force volleyball team snapped a four-match losing skid in conference action this afternoon (Oct. 13), as it collected a 3-2 victory over Nevada at the Academy's Cadet East Gym. After winning the first two sets (26-24, 25-16), the Falcons held off a two-set rally by the Wolfpack (25-19, 25-16) to claim the deciding set by a 15-8 score.
The win also snapped a four-match slide in five-set contests for the Falcons (3-5).
Seniors Abigail Miksch (17) and Elizabeth Pennington (16) paced all players on both sides of the net, as they accounted for over half of the Falcons' 54 kills. The pair also accounted for five of the team's eight service aces (three for Pennington, two for Miksch), while Miksch led all players with .414 hitting (17-k-5e-29a). Both Air Force setters accounted for double-doubles on the day, as senior Shanleigh Conlan led the team in assists (21, with 10 digs) and sophomore Andi Ahlers posted a team-best 13 digs (with 19 assists), and sophomore Cambria Galloway tallied six blocks (one solo, five assisted).
Pennington and classmate Lauren Heldt put down kills that helped Air Force take an early 3-1 lead in the opening of the first set. Heldt and Galloway teamed up for a block (5-2), while a kill from sophomore Kathleen Medill maintained the Falcons' three-point lead (7-4). Nevada quickly responded and stormed back with 10 of the next 12 points to take a 13-9 lead. Backed by a pair of kills from both Miksch and Galloway, the Falcons scored 10 of the next 15 points to cut into the Wolfpack's lead. Junior Denise Ssozi put down a kill to tie the score at 19, while an attacking error by Nevada gave Air Force the lead on the next play (20-19). The Wolfpack retook the lead two plays later (20-21), but a Ssozi ace and another Galloway/Heldt block returned the advantage to Air Force during a three-point run (23-21). Nevada again evened the set at 24, but a Nevada error and Miksch kill gave the Falcons at 26-24 victory.
Air Force jumped out to a fast 6-2 lead in the second set behind kills from Ssozi (two), Galloway and Heldt. Nevada pulled within two at the 9-7 mark, but the Falcons scored eight of the next nine points to blow the set open and give the home team a nine-point lead (17-8). Pennington accounted for five of the team's points during the run, registering two kills and three-straight service aces. Miksch scored three of the team's next four points (two kills, one ace) to push the score to 20-13. Pennington added another pair of kills, while a Miksch/Galloway block gave Air Fore the 25-16 win.
Miksch recorded a pair of kills to help Air Force take a 5-4 lead in the opening minutes of the third set, but Nevada scored five-straight points to take a four-point lead (9-5). Miksch stopped the run with a kill, while Medill, Ssozi, Pennington (two) and Galloway accounted for kills to keep the Falcons within four (14-18). A short run by the Falcons – kills from Miksch, Ssozi, Galloway – brought Air Force within three (17-20), but a 5-2 run by the Wolfpack closed out the set and gave Nevada the 25-19 victory.
Nevada scored the first four points of the fourth set, but Miksch (kill), Medill (solo block) and sophomore Jordan Daniels (ace) tallied three-straight to pull Air Force within one (3-4). The Wolfpack posted a 3-0 run of their own to retake a four-point lead (3-7), but the Falcons answered with the next four scores – Pennington kill, Medill/Pennington block, Miksch ace – to even the set at seven. Nevada turned around with another long scoring run, scoring five straight – and seven of the next eight – to take a 14-8 advantage. The Falcons nabbed back-to-back scores off of another Pennington kill and a Galloway/Heldt block, but the Wolfpack stretched the score to 20-13. Miksch (two) and Pennington (one) added scores, but Nevada evened the match at two with a 25-16 victory.
The Falcons, playing their fourth five-set match in five contests, jumped out to a fast 8-3 lead in the deciding set, behind three kills from Miksch and a pair of scores from Pennington and Galloway. Another score by Miksch gave Air Force a 10-5 lead, while Ssozi (kill), Pennington (kill) and Galloway (block) registered scores, while a service ace from sophomore Kelly Motes secured the 15-8 win for Air Force.
Air Force heads out on the road next week, as it concludes the first half of the Mountain West's home-and-home season with contests at Utah State (Oct. 18) and Boise State (Oct. 20).
The win also snapped a four-match slide in five-set contests for the Falcons (3-5).
Seniors Abigail Miksch (17) and Elizabeth Pennington (16) paced all players on both sides of the net, as they accounted for over half of the Falcons' 54 kills. The pair also accounted for five of the team's eight service aces (three for Pennington, two for Miksch), while Miksch led all players with .414 hitting (17-k-5e-29a). Both Air Force setters accounted for double-doubles on the day, as senior Shanleigh Conlan led the team in assists (21, with 10 digs) and sophomore Andi Ahlers posted a team-best 13 digs (with 19 assists), and sophomore Cambria Galloway tallied six blocks (one solo, five assisted).
Pennington and classmate Lauren Heldt put down kills that helped Air Force take an early 3-1 lead in the opening of the first set. Heldt and Galloway teamed up for a block (5-2), while a kill from sophomore Kathleen Medill maintained the Falcons' three-point lead (7-4). Nevada quickly responded and stormed back with 10 of the next 12 points to take a 13-9 lead. Backed by a pair of kills from both Miksch and Galloway, the Falcons scored 10 of the next 15 points to cut into the Wolfpack's lead. Junior Denise Ssozi put down a kill to tie the score at 19, while an attacking error by Nevada gave Air Force the lead on the next play (20-19). The Wolfpack retook the lead two plays later (20-21), but a Ssozi ace and another Galloway/Heldt block returned the advantage to Air Force during a three-point run (23-21). Nevada again evened the set at 24, but a Nevada error and Miksch kill gave the Falcons at 26-24 victory.
Air Force jumped out to a fast 6-2 lead in the second set behind kills from Ssozi (two), Galloway and Heldt. Nevada pulled within two at the 9-7 mark, but the Falcons scored eight of the next nine points to blow the set open and give the home team a nine-point lead (17-8). Pennington accounted for five of the team's points during the run, registering two kills and three-straight service aces. Miksch scored three of the team's next four points (two kills, one ace) to push the score to 20-13. Pennington added another pair of kills, while a Miksch/Galloway block gave Air Fore the 25-16 win.
Miksch recorded a pair of kills to help Air Force take a 5-4 lead in the opening minutes of the third set, but Nevada scored five-straight points to take a four-point lead (9-5). Miksch stopped the run with a kill, while Medill, Ssozi, Pennington (two) and Galloway accounted for kills to keep the Falcons within four (14-18). A short run by the Falcons – kills from Miksch, Ssozi, Galloway – brought Air Force within three (17-20), but a 5-2 run by the Wolfpack closed out the set and gave Nevada the 25-19 victory.
Nevada scored the first four points of the fourth set, but Miksch (kill), Medill (solo block) and sophomore Jordan Daniels (ace) tallied three-straight to pull Air Force within one (3-4). The Wolfpack posted a 3-0 run of their own to retake a four-point lead (3-7), but the Falcons answered with the next four scores – Pennington kill, Medill/Pennington block, Miksch ace – to even the set at seven. Nevada turned around with another long scoring run, scoring five straight – and seven of the next eight – to take a 14-8 advantage. The Falcons nabbed back-to-back scores off of another Pennington kill and a Galloway/Heldt block, but the Wolfpack stretched the score to 20-13. Miksch (two) and Pennington (one) added scores, but Nevada evened the match at two with a 25-16 victory.
The Falcons, playing their fourth five-set match in five contests, jumped out to a fast 8-3 lead in the deciding set, behind three kills from Miksch and a pair of scores from Pennington and Galloway. Another score by Miksch gave Air Force a 10-5 lead, while Ssozi (kill), Pennington (kill) and Galloway (block) registered scores, while a service ace from sophomore Kelly Motes secured the 15-8 win for Air Force.
Air Force heads out on the road next week, as it concludes the first half of the Mountain West's home-and-home season with contests at Utah State (Oct. 18) and Boise State (Oct. 20).
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Volleyball
MH/MB
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
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