Friday, September 7
USAFA
2:00 p.m.
Air Force Academy
6-3
1
vs
3
Valparaiso
7-2
1
2
3
4
F
Valparaiso
25
23
25
25
3
Air Force
23
25
23
19
1
Photo by: Sharon Ellman
Air Force Drops 3-1 Contest to Valparaiso
9/7/2018 5:22:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Sarah Hellman notched a career-best 23 digs during the Falcons; loss.
USAF ACADEMY, Colo. – The Air Force volleyball dropped a 3-1 match to Valparaiso this afternoon (Sept. 7) at the Amy Svoboda Memorial Classic. The 23-25, 25-23, 23-25, 19-25 loss to the visiting Crusaders snapped a seven-match winning streak at the Academy for Air Force that dated back to mid-October 2017.
Senior Abigail Miksch paced all players with 18 kills, while classmate Elizabeth Pennington (16) and junior Denise Ssozi (13) also accounted for double-digit kill totals. Sophomore Andi Ahlers assisted on 30 of the team's 61 kills, while senior Sarah Hellman collected a career-high 23 digs. Senior Shanleigh Conlan registered a pair of service aces and sophomore Kathleen Medill led all players with five blocks (two solo, three assisted) to round out the team's statistical leaders.
Air Force registered the first four points of the match, as a pair of kills from Pennington bookended a service ace from Miksch and a block from Ssozi and Medill (4-0). Additional scores from Ssozi, Pennington and senior Lauren Heldt pushed the Falcons' advantage to six (8-2), while the trio combined for three more kills that put the Falcons up 12-8. Valparaiso evened the set at 12 and took the lead on the ensuing play, but Ssozi put down a kill to stop the run and a kill from sophomore Cambria Galloway tied the set at 15. The Crusaders took a 21-18 advantage, but a pair of kills from Miksch helped bring the Falcons with one. Air Force tied the set at 23, but Valparaiso earned the final two points to claim the 25-23 victory.
The Falcons used a kill (Miksch), block (Medill) and ace (Ahlers) to open the second set on a 3-0 run. Valparaiso evened the set at three, before Pennington put down a pair of scores to give Air Force a one-point lead (4-3, 5-4). A score by Galloway capped another 3-0 run by the Falcons, while a kill and ace from Ssozi kept the Falcons' advantage at three (10-7) and a kill by Heldt nudged their lead to four (14-10). Pennington and Galloway added kills, while aces from Conlan (18-13) and Ssozi (20-14) continued to extend the Falcons' lead. Valparaiso tallied eight of the next 11 points to pull within one (23-22), but kills from Miksch and Galloway secured a 25-23 victory for Air Force.
Valparaiso took the early lead in the third, doubling up Air Force at the 8-4 mark. Miksch added a pair of kills, while Medill notched kill and assisted on a block with Ssozi as Air Force pulled within one (11-12). The Crusaders retook a three-point lead (15-12), but Air Force responded with kills from Heldt (one), Miksch (two) and Pennington (three). Conlan recorded an ace to even the set at 20, but Valparaiso notched the final points for another narrow, two-point victory (25-23).
Medill and Pennington earned kills in the opening moments of the fourth set, but the Crusaders used a 4-0 run to go ahead by three (7-4). Ssozi and Heldt put down kills on back-to-back plays to halt Valparaiso's run and pull Air Force within one (7-6). Despite three kills from Miksch, the Crusaders extended their lead to five at the 14-9 mark. The Falcons cut their deficit to two (14-16) following a Galloway kill, but Valparaiso responded with five of the next six points to go up 21-15. Miksch scored the Falcons' next three points, but the Crusaders earned the victory with a 25-19 set win.
The Falcons return to action this evening (Sept. 7), when they host Cal Baptist at 7:00 p.m. (MT).
Senior Abigail Miksch paced all players with 18 kills, while classmate Elizabeth Pennington (16) and junior Denise Ssozi (13) also accounted for double-digit kill totals. Sophomore Andi Ahlers assisted on 30 of the team's 61 kills, while senior Sarah Hellman collected a career-high 23 digs. Senior Shanleigh Conlan registered a pair of service aces and sophomore Kathleen Medill led all players with five blocks (two solo, three assisted) to round out the team's statistical leaders.
Air Force registered the first four points of the match, as a pair of kills from Pennington bookended a service ace from Miksch and a block from Ssozi and Medill (4-0). Additional scores from Ssozi, Pennington and senior Lauren Heldt pushed the Falcons' advantage to six (8-2), while the trio combined for three more kills that put the Falcons up 12-8. Valparaiso evened the set at 12 and took the lead on the ensuing play, but Ssozi put down a kill to stop the run and a kill from sophomore Cambria Galloway tied the set at 15. The Crusaders took a 21-18 advantage, but a pair of kills from Miksch helped bring the Falcons with one. Air Force tied the set at 23, but Valparaiso earned the final two points to claim the 25-23 victory.
The Falcons used a kill (Miksch), block (Medill) and ace (Ahlers) to open the second set on a 3-0 run. Valparaiso evened the set at three, before Pennington put down a pair of scores to give Air Force a one-point lead (4-3, 5-4). A score by Galloway capped another 3-0 run by the Falcons, while a kill and ace from Ssozi kept the Falcons' advantage at three (10-7) and a kill by Heldt nudged their lead to four (14-10). Pennington and Galloway added kills, while aces from Conlan (18-13) and Ssozi (20-14) continued to extend the Falcons' lead. Valparaiso tallied eight of the next 11 points to pull within one (23-22), but kills from Miksch and Galloway secured a 25-23 victory for Air Force.
Valparaiso took the early lead in the third, doubling up Air Force at the 8-4 mark. Miksch added a pair of kills, while Medill notched kill and assisted on a block with Ssozi as Air Force pulled within one (11-12). The Crusaders retook a three-point lead (15-12), but Air Force responded with kills from Heldt (one), Miksch (two) and Pennington (three). Conlan recorded an ace to even the set at 20, but Valparaiso notched the final points for another narrow, two-point victory (25-23).
Medill and Pennington earned kills in the opening moments of the fourth set, but the Crusaders used a 4-0 run to go ahead by three (7-4). Ssozi and Heldt put down kills on back-to-back plays to halt Valparaiso's run and pull Air Force within one (7-6). Despite three kills from Miksch, the Crusaders extended their lead to five at the 14-9 mark. The Falcons cut their deficit to two (14-16) following a Galloway kill, but Valparaiso responded with five of the next six points to go up 21-15. Miksch scored the Falcons' next three points, but the Crusaders earned the victory with a 25-19 set win.
The Falcons return to action this evening (Sept. 7), when they host Cal Baptist at 7:00 p.m. (MT).
Team Stats
VALPO
AF
Kills
57
61
Errors
20
21
Attempts
165
171
Hitting %
.224
.234
Points
64.0
74.0
Assists
51
60
Aces
4
6
Blocks
3.0
7.0
Game Leaders
Kills
18
Aces
1
Blocks
0
Kills
16
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
13
Aces
2
Blocks
3
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Players Mentioned
S
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's VolleyballRS
/ Women's Volleyball
MH/MB
/ Women's Volleyball
DS/L
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's VolleyballOH
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