Monday, November 19
Fresno, Calif.
7:00 p.m. MT
Air Force Academy
17-15, 7-11MW
3
at
0
Fresno State
21-10, 13-5MW
1
2
3
F
Air Force
25
25
25
3
Fresno State
20
22
19
0
Photo by: Darcie Ibidapo
Falcons Notch Program-Record 17th win in Season Finale
11/19/2018 11:49:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
With the win, Air Force matched the 1999 squad for the most single-season wins at the DI level
FRESNO, Calif. – The Air Force volleyball team closed out the 2018 campaign in commanding fashion this evening (Nov. 19), as it swept Fresno State and captured its program-record 17th victory of the season. The Falcons defeated the Mountain West's second-place team in straight 25-20, 25-22, 25-19 sets to finish the season with a 17-15 record and a 7-11 mark in conference play.
With the win, Air Force matched the 1999 squad for the most single-season victories at the Division I level and also accounted for the program's first winning season since that year. The Falcons, who sent head coach Marc Swindle into retirement with victories in four of their final five matches, also tied the program's DI record for conference wins in a season – matching the win total of the 2014 and 2017 squads.
The Falcons were led by a quartet of seniors on Monday night, including Abigail Miksch, who led all players with 12 kills. Classmate Shanleigh Conlan registered a team-high 21 assists, while fellow seniors Sarah Hellman and Lauren Heldt paced Air Force in digs (11) and blocks (four), respectively. Sophomores Andi Ahlers and Jordan Daniels both accounted for a pair of service aces during the match, while freshman Bailey Keith posted a match-high .538 hitting percentage, with seven kills on 13 attempts and no errors.
Miksch registered the Falcons' first point of the match, while a block from Heldt and junior Denise Ssozi gave Air Force the early 2-1 lead. The Falcons' maintained a two-point advantage following a kill from senior Elizabeth Pennington and an ace from Ahlers (5-3), as well as a block from Ssozi and sophomore Kathleen Medill (6-4). The Bulldogs tallied six of the next eight points to take their own two-point lead (10-8), but a kill from Medill sparked a 6-0 run by the Falcons. Points from Conlan (ace), Miksch (kill) and Keith (kill) occurred during the run that saw Air Force take the 14-10 advantage. Fresno State pulled within two (17-15) and the teams traded the next 10 points, with Pennington (18-15, 23-20), Medill (19-16), Miksch (20-17, 21-18) and Heldt (22-19) keeping the Falcons' lead at three. An errant attack by the Bulldogs broke the back-and-forth action at 24-20 and a kill by Ssozi secured the 25-20 win for Air Force.
Backed by a pair of scores from Heldt (kill, block with Miksch), Air Force earned the first three points of the second set. Fresno State evened the set at three and pushed its lead to three (9-6), despite a pair of kills from Pennington and a score from Keith. Two attacking errors by the Bulldogs pulled the Falcons within one (9-10), while back-to-back kills from Miksch and Pennington helped Air Force take the lead at the 12-11 mark. Ssozi put down a pair of scores that tied the match at 14, while a Keith kill and Medill/Pennington block gave Air Force a one-point lead (16-15). Another score by Keith pushed the Falcons' lead to three (20-17), but the Bulldogs evened the set at 20. The two teams traded the next four points, before a pair of points from Ssozi (kill, ace) helped Air Force take the 25-22 victory.
Ssozi registered a kill, but Fresno State took the early 4-2 lead in the third set. An additional score by the Falcons' lone junior, as well as another ace by Ahlers tied the set at four. The Bulldogs retook the advantage two plays later and maintained an 8-6 lead, but Miksch scored four of the next five points – including a span of three-straight kills – to give Air Fore the one-point advantage (10-9). Fresno State responded with the next four points to go up 13-10, before Ssozi stopped their run with a kill. Heldt and Ssozi teamed up for a block (12-14) and Pennington put down a kill (14-16) to keep Air Force within two. A kill from Keith cut the Falcons' deficit to one (18-19) and sparked an 8-0 run to close out the set. Heldt and Miksch teamed up for a block during the run, while Ssozi added a pair of kills and Daniels collected a pair of service aces. Miksch capped the run – and her collegiate career – with a resounding kill, as Air Force completed the set with a 25-19 win.
With the win, Air Force matched the 1999 squad for the most single-season victories at the Division I level and also accounted for the program's first winning season since that year. The Falcons, who sent head coach Marc Swindle into retirement with victories in four of their final five matches, also tied the program's DI record for conference wins in a season – matching the win total of the 2014 and 2017 squads.
The Falcons were led by a quartet of seniors on Monday night, including Abigail Miksch, who led all players with 12 kills. Classmate Shanleigh Conlan registered a team-high 21 assists, while fellow seniors Sarah Hellman and Lauren Heldt paced Air Force in digs (11) and blocks (four), respectively. Sophomores Andi Ahlers and Jordan Daniels both accounted for a pair of service aces during the match, while freshman Bailey Keith posted a match-high .538 hitting percentage, with seven kills on 13 attempts and no errors.
Miksch registered the Falcons' first point of the match, while a block from Heldt and junior Denise Ssozi gave Air Force the early 2-1 lead. The Falcons' maintained a two-point advantage following a kill from senior Elizabeth Pennington and an ace from Ahlers (5-3), as well as a block from Ssozi and sophomore Kathleen Medill (6-4). The Bulldogs tallied six of the next eight points to take their own two-point lead (10-8), but a kill from Medill sparked a 6-0 run by the Falcons. Points from Conlan (ace), Miksch (kill) and Keith (kill) occurred during the run that saw Air Force take the 14-10 advantage. Fresno State pulled within two (17-15) and the teams traded the next 10 points, with Pennington (18-15, 23-20), Medill (19-16), Miksch (20-17, 21-18) and Heldt (22-19) keeping the Falcons' lead at three. An errant attack by the Bulldogs broke the back-and-forth action at 24-20 and a kill by Ssozi secured the 25-20 win for Air Force.
Backed by a pair of scores from Heldt (kill, block with Miksch), Air Force earned the first three points of the second set. Fresno State evened the set at three and pushed its lead to three (9-6), despite a pair of kills from Pennington and a score from Keith. Two attacking errors by the Bulldogs pulled the Falcons within one (9-10), while back-to-back kills from Miksch and Pennington helped Air Force take the lead at the 12-11 mark. Ssozi put down a pair of scores that tied the match at 14, while a Keith kill and Medill/Pennington block gave Air Force a one-point lead (16-15). Another score by Keith pushed the Falcons' lead to three (20-17), but the Bulldogs evened the set at 20. The two teams traded the next four points, before a pair of points from Ssozi (kill, ace) helped Air Force take the 25-22 victory.
Ssozi registered a kill, but Fresno State took the early 4-2 lead in the third set. An additional score by the Falcons' lone junior, as well as another ace by Ahlers tied the set at four. The Bulldogs retook the advantage two plays later and maintained an 8-6 lead, but Miksch scored four of the next five points – including a span of three-straight kills – to give Air Fore the one-point advantage (10-9). Fresno State responded with the next four points to go up 13-10, before Ssozi stopped their run with a kill. Heldt and Ssozi teamed up for a block (12-14) and Pennington put down a kill (14-16) to keep Air Force within two. A kill from Keith cut the Falcons' deficit to one (18-19) and sparked an 8-0 run to close out the set. Heldt and Miksch teamed up for a block during the run, while Ssozi added a pair of kills and Daniels collected a pair of service aces. Miksch capped the run – and her collegiate career – with a resounding kill, as Air Force completed the set with a 25-19 win.
Team Stats
AF
FS
Kills
41
36
Errors
10
18
Attempts
109
107
Hitting %
.284
.168
Points
53.0
43.0
Assists
37
35
Aces
6
4
Blocks
6.0
3.0
Game Leaders
Kills
12
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
9
Aces
1
Blocks
3
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Players Mentioned
S
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
DS/L
/ Women's Volleyball
MH/MB
/ Women's Volleyball
DS/L
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's VolleyballOH
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