Thursday, November 21
USAFA
6:30 p.m. MT
Air Force Academy
8-21,5-12MWC
0
vs
3
New Mexico
11-19,6-12MWC
1
2
3
F
New Mexico
25
25
25
3
Air Force
14
14
19
0
Photo by: Trevor Cokley
Injury-Riddled Falcons Fall to New Mexico
11/21/2019 9:13:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Without three of its starters, Air Force dropped a 14-25, 14-25, 19-25 match to the Lobos.
USAF ACADEMY, Colo. – With three of its starters out due to injury or illness, the Air Force volleyball team suffered a three-set loss to New Mexico on Thursday, Nov. 21, as it began its final homestand of the season. Facing the visiting Lobos without their usual setter and libero, as well as one of their starting middle blockers, the Falcons fell in straight 14-25, 14-25, 19-25 sets.
Air Force split the 2019 series with New Mexico, as it swept the Lobos in Albuquerque in late October.
The younger members of the Falcons' lineup led the way statistically on Thursday night. Freshman BrookeLyn Messenger collected a match-high 10 kills and accounted for the Falcons' only service ace, while sophomore Bailey Keith led the Falcons with .278 hitting (7-2-18) and tied with junior Mackenzie Robertson for a team-high two blocks. Sophomore setter Lily Landis, in just her third career start, added a match-leading 25 assists, while junior Jordan Daniels, who earned the libero jersey for her second collegiate start at that position, posted a season-high nine digs.
New Mexico took an early 3-1 start to the match, before kills from Messenger and classmate Taleah Cooper put down scores to tie the set at four. Senior Denise Ssozi tallied a kill to keep the Falcons' within one (6-7), but the Lobos scored the next three points to take a four-point lead (10-6). Ssozi stopped their run with another strike, while Keith accounted for a pair of points (assisted block with Robertson, kill) to bring the Falcons back within two (10-12). New Mexico used a 6-1 run to open the set and take an 18-11 advantage, before Messenger and Ssozi stopped the run with back-to-back kills. The Falcons' lone senior added one more score, but the Lobos closed on a 7-1 run to take the opening set, 25-14.
Keith and Robertson teamed up to open the second set with a block, while scores from Keith, Messenger and freshman Mackenzie Kummer helped Air Force take an early 4-2 lead. The Lobos evened the score two plays later, but points from Ssozi (kill), Messenger (ace) and Landis (kill) pushed the Falcons' lead to three at the 8-5 mark. Six straight points by New Mexico (11-8) forced Air Force into a timeout, before kills from Messenger and Cooper brought Air Force within one (10-11). Landis put down a kill at the 11-12 mark, but New Mexico used a 13-3 run to end the set for another 25-14 victory.
Keith accounted for three of the Falcons' first four points in the third set (4-4), while three-straight strikes from Messenger during a 5-0 run by the Falcons gave Air Force flipped a three-point deficit (4-7) for a two-point lead (9-7). New Mexico responded with a 4-1 run, before Kummer stopped the run and evened the set at 11. Benefitting from a pair of UNM errors, Air Force took a 13-11 lead, while another attacking error by the Lobos tied the set at 14. A kill from Keith helped Air Force stay within one at the 16-17 mark, but a pair of three-point runs helped the Lobos take the final set – and secure the sweep – by a 25-19 margin.
Air Force returns to the Academy on Saturday (Nov. 23), when it hosts UNLV in the final contest of the 2019 season. Following the 1:00 p.m. (MT) match, the Falcons will celebrate their lone senior, Denise Ssozi.
Air Force split the 2019 series with New Mexico, as it swept the Lobos in Albuquerque in late October.
The younger members of the Falcons' lineup led the way statistically on Thursday night. Freshman BrookeLyn Messenger collected a match-high 10 kills and accounted for the Falcons' only service ace, while sophomore Bailey Keith led the Falcons with .278 hitting (7-2-18) and tied with junior Mackenzie Robertson for a team-high two blocks. Sophomore setter Lily Landis, in just her third career start, added a match-leading 25 assists, while junior Jordan Daniels, who earned the libero jersey for her second collegiate start at that position, posted a season-high nine digs.
New Mexico took an early 3-1 start to the match, before kills from Messenger and classmate Taleah Cooper put down scores to tie the set at four. Senior Denise Ssozi tallied a kill to keep the Falcons' within one (6-7), but the Lobos scored the next three points to take a four-point lead (10-6). Ssozi stopped their run with another strike, while Keith accounted for a pair of points (assisted block with Robertson, kill) to bring the Falcons back within two (10-12). New Mexico used a 6-1 run to open the set and take an 18-11 advantage, before Messenger and Ssozi stopped the run with back-to-back kills. The Falcons' lone senior added one more score, but the Lobos closed on a 7-1 run to take the opening set, 25-14.
Keith and Robertson teamed up to open the second set with a block, while scores from Keith, Messenger and freshman Mackenzie Kummer helped Air Force take an early 4-2 lead. The Lobos evened the score two plays later, but points from Ssozi (kill), Messenger (ace) and Landis (kill) pushed the Falcons' lead to three at the 8-5 mark. Six straight points by New Mexico (11-8) forced Air Force into a timeout, before kills from Messenger and Cooper brought Air Force within one (10-11). Landis put down a kill at the 11-12 mark, but New Mexico used a 13-3 run to end the set for another 25-14 victory.
Keith accounted for three of the Falcons' first four points in the third set (4-4), while three-straight strikes from Messenger during a 5-0 run by the Falcons gave Air Force flipped a three-point deficit (4-7) for a two-point lead (9-7). New Mexico responded with a 4-1 run, before Kummer stopped the run and evened the set at 11. Benefitting from a pair of UNM errors, Air Force took a 13-11 lead, while another attacking error by the Lobos tied the set at 14. A kill from Keith helped Air Force stay within one at the 16-17 mark, but a pair of three-point runs helped the Lobos take the final set – and secure the sweep – by a 25-19 margin.
Air Force returns to the Academy on Saturday (Nov. 23), when it hosts UNLV in the final contest of the 2019 season. Following the 1:00 p.m. (MT) match, the Falcons will celebrate their lone senior, Denise Ssozi.
Team Stats
UNM
USAFA
Kills
43
31
Errors
11
22
Attempts
95
106
Hitting %
.337
.085
Points
57
34
Assists
41
29
Aces
3
1
Blocks
11
2
Game Leaders
Kills
10
Aces
1
Blocks
0
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
3
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Players Mentioned
MB/OPP
/ Women's Volleyball
DS/L
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
RS/MH
/ Women's VolleyballS
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's VolleyballOH
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