Sunday, September 30
USAFA
12:00 p.m. MT
Air Force Academy
2
vs
3
New Mexico
Photo by: Josh Armstrong
Air Force Closes Homestand with 3-2 Loss to New Mexico
9/30/2018 4:20:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
The Falcons finished 7-3 during their month-long stay at Cadet East Gym.
USAF ACADEMY, Colo. – The Air Force volleyball team suffered its first loss of the conference season this afternoon (Sept. 30), as it closed out its 11-match homestand with a 3-2 loss to New Mexico at Cadet East Gym. The Falcons moved to 2-1 in the Mountain West (12-5 overall) with a 25-19, 17-25, 18-25, 25-23, 11-15 decision to the visiting Lobos.
Four Falcons – senior Elizabeth Pennington (16), senior Abigail Miksch (15), junior Denise Ssozi (13) and senior Lauren Heldt (11) – combined for 55 of the team's 63 total kills, while Ssozi (10) joined three other Falcons – sophomore Alex King (15), sophomore Andi Ahlers (14) and senior Shanleigh Conlan (10) – to produce the majority of the team's 65 digs. Pennington added three service aces, while Ahlers accounted for a team-high 28 assists and sophomore Cambria Galloway rounded out the Falcons' statistic leaders with seven total blocks (one solo, six assisted).
A kill and solo block from Galloway helped Air Force take the early 2-1 lead, while Heldt scored the Falcons' next four points to give Air Force a 6-4 advantage. Miksch and sophomore Kathleen Medill posted back-to-back kills, while a pair of New Mexico errors extended the Falcons' lead to five (10-5) and forced the Lobos into a timeout. Air Force scored six of the next nine points, highlighted by back-to-back kills from both Pennington and Ssozi, to double New Mexico up at the 16-8 mark. Air Force accounted for blocks on consecutive plays (Miksch/Galloway, Heldt/Medill) to go up nine (20-11), but the Lobos responded with a blocking run of their own to pull within three at the 20-17 mark. Miksch stopped their run with a pair of kills, while Ssozi (two) and Pennington (one) recorded kills to give Air Force the 25-19 victory.
Pennington put down the opening point of the second set and the two squads traded the next few points, before New Mexico strung together three-straight points to take a 6-4 lead. The Lobos pushed their advantage to five at the 13-8 mark, before kills from Heldt and Miksch brought the Falcons back within three (13-10). The Lobos returned their advantage to five four plays later (16-11) and extended it to seven at the 20-13. Ssozi, Pennington and Miksch added kills, but New Mexico took the match with a 25-17 win.
A kill by Ssozi opened the third set, but New Mexico quickly responded with the next four points (4-1). Air Heldt (two), Medill (one) and Conlan (one) added kills, while scores from Ssozi evened the set at eight- and again at nine-all. New Mexico used a 7-0 run to go up 16-9, before Heldt and freshman Rachel Budzinski teamed up for a block to end their run. The Falcons received an ace from Ssozi and multiple kills from Miksch (three) and Pennington (two), but New Mexico captured the third set by a 25-18 score.
The Lobos put down the opening point of the fourth set and the teams traded points, before Heldt tallied a kill and teamed up with Galloway for a block to break the back-and-forth action – and a five-all tie. Pennington put down a pair of kills and added an ace, as Air Force pushed its lead to seven (13-6). The Lobos answered with 12 of the next 14 points to take an 18-15 lead. Following a kill from Miksch and a block from Medill and Ssozi, Pennington put down a score to tie the set at 19. Medill (20-20) and Pennington (21-21) registered set-tying kills, while Heldt and Galloway teamed up for a block that gave Air Force back the lead at the 22-21 mark. Kills from Pennington and Miksch secured the Falcons' victory at 25-23 and forced the squad's first five-set match of the conference season.
A kill from Heldt and a solo block from Medill gave Air Force the early 2-1 lead, but New Mexico scored the next nine points to take a 10-2 advantage. Medill stopped the run with another solo stop, while kills from Ssozi (two) and Pennington (one) cut into the Lobos' lead (12-7). Galloway teamed up with Miksch and Heldt for back-to-back blocks and Miksch added another score, but New Mexico took the set 15-11.
After spending the past month within the home confines of Cadet East Gym, the Falcons head out on the road next weekend for a pair of conference contests. Air Force will travel to Wyoming and Colorado State for back-to-back matches on Thursday and Friday (Oct. 4-5).
Four Falcons – senior Elizabeth Pennington (16), senior Abigail Miksch (15), junior Denise Ssozi (13) and senior Lauren Heldt (11) – combined for 55 of the team's 63 total kills, while Ssozi (10) joined three other Falcons – sophomore Alex King (15), sophomore Andi Ahlers (14) and senior Shanleigh Conlan (10) – to produce the majority of the team's 65 digs. Pennington added three service aces, while Ahlers accounted for a team-high 28 assists and sophomore Cambria Galloway rounded out the Falcons' statistic leaders with seven total blocks (one solo, six assisted).
A kill and solo block from Galloway helped Air Force take the early 2-1 lead, while Heldt scored the Falcons' next four points to give Air Force a 6-4 advantage. Miksch and sophomore Kathleen Medill posted back-to-back kills, while a pair of New Mexico errors extended the Falcons' lead to five (10-5) and forced the Lobos into a timeout. Air Force scored six of the next nine points, highlighted by back-to-back kills from both Pennington and Ssozi, to double New Mexico up at the 16-8 mark. Air Force accounted for blocks on consecutive plays (Miksch/Galloway, Heldt/Medill) to go up nine (20-11), but the Lobos responded with a blocking run of their own to pull within three at the 20-17 mark. Miksch stopped their run with a pair of kills, while Ssozi (two) and Pennington (one) recorded kills to give Air Force the 25-19 victory.
Pennington put down the opening point of the second set and the two squads traded the next few points, before New Mexico strung together three-straight points to take a 6-4 lead. The Lobos pushed their advantage to five at the 13-8 mark, before kills from Heldt and Miksch brought the Falcons back within three (13-10). The Lobos returned their advantage to five four plays later (16-11) and extended it to seven at the 20-13. Ssozi, Pennington and Miksch added kills, but New Mexico took the match with a 25-17 win.
A kill by Ssozi opened the third set, but New Mexico quickly responded with the next four points (4-1). Air Heldt (two), Medill (one) and Conlan (one) added kills, while scores from Ssozi evened the set at eight- and again at nine-all. New Mexico used a 7-0 run to go up 16-9, before Heldt and freshman Rachel Budzinski teamed up for a block to end their run. The Falcons received an ace from Ssozi and multiple kills from Miksch (three) and Pennington (two), but New Mexico captured the third set by a 25-18 score.
The Lobos put down the opening point of the fourth set and the teams traded points, before Heldt tallied a kill and teamed up with Galloway for a block to break the back-and-forth action – and a five-all tie. Pennington put down a pair of kills and added an ace, as Air Force pushed its lead to seven (13-6). The Lobos answered with 12 of the next 14 points to take an 18-15 lead. Following a kill from Miksch and a block from Medill and Ssozi, Pennington put down a score to tie the set at 19. Medill (20-20) and Pennington (21-21) registered set-tying kills, while Heldt and Galloway teamed up for a block that gave Air Force back the lead at the 22-21 mark. Kills from Pennington and Miksch secured the Falcons' victory at 25-23 and forced the squad's first five-set match of the conference season.
A kill from Heldt and a solo block from Medill gave Air Force the early 2-1 lead, but New Mexico scored the next nine points to take a 10-2 advantage. Medill stopped the run with another solo stop, while kills from Ssozi (two) and Pennington (one) cut into the Lobos' lead (12-7). Galloway teamed up with Miksch and Heldt for back-to-back blocks and Miksch added another score, but New Mexico took the set 15-11.
After spending the past month within the home confines of Cadet East Gym, the Falcons head out on the road next weekend for a pair of conference contests. Air Force will travel to Wyoming and Colorado State for back-to-back matches on Thursday and Friday (Oct. 4-5).
Players Mentioned
S
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
RS
/ Women's Volleyball
MH/MB
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's VolleyballMacey Donathan Interview Sept 30, 2025
Tuesday, September 30
Falcons open up MW play with sweep of Nevada
Thursday, September 25
Macey Donathan Interview Sept 23, 2025
Tuesday, September 23
Utah Tech gives Falcons a loss in four sets
Saturday, September 20
