Friday, September 20
USAFA
6:30 p.m. MT
Air Force Academy
3-8
2
vs
3
Montana
1-8
1
2
3
4
5
F
Montana
24
20
25
25
15
3
Air Force
26
25
12
22
13
2
Photo by: Trevor Cokley
Falcons Fall to Montana in Five
9/20/2019 11:42:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
USAF ACADEMY, Colo. – The Air Force volleyball team suffered a tough five-set setback to Montana this evening (Sept. 20) at the Academy, as it continued action at the Thin Air Challenge. The Falcons claimed the first two game by 26-24, 25-20 margins, but were unable to hold off the comeback by the Grizzlies, falling 12-25, 22-25, 13-15 in the final three sets.
Â
It was the fourth time in as many meetings that the Falcons and Grizzlies have gone to a deciding fifth set.
Â
Backed by a match-high seven stops from freshman Taleah Cooper, Air Force combined for 23 assisted blocks on the night (11.5 total blocks). Sophomore Bailey Keith assisted on six, while juniors Cambria Galloway and Andi Ahlers also accounted for multiple stops (three assisted blocks each). In addition to her stops at the net, Ahlers picked up her fifth double-double of the year with 34 assists and 12 digs. Senior Denise Ssozi posted a match-high 17 kills on .316 hitting, while Keith added 12 scores on .182 hitting and accounted for one of the Falcons' two service aces. Junior Alex King rounded out the Falcons' list of statistical leaders with 14 digs.
Â
Keith earned the Falcons' first offensive point of the match, tallying a kill at the 3-2 mark, but Montana responded with the next four points to double Air Force up at 6-3. The Grizzlies maintained a three-point lead (8-5), before the Falcons used a pair of kills from Ssozi to knot the set at nine. Montana again pushed ahead to a three-point lead (13-10) and forced the Falcons into a timeout, but a pair of kills from sophomore Vittoria Juarez and back-to-back blocks from Galloway (one with Ssozi, one with Ahlers) saw Air Force tie the set at 16. A score by Keith evened the set at 18, but Montana retook the lead on the next play. Another Keith kill brought the Falcons within one (21-22), while consecutive kills from Juarez and Ssozi tied the set at 23. The Grizzlies reached set point first (24-23), but three straight kills from Cooper and Ssozi (two) gave Air Force the 26-24 come-from-behind victory.
Â
Keith had a hand in the Falcons' first five points of the second set, tallying two kills, two blocks (one with Galloway, one with Cooper) and a service ace to give the Falcons a 5-4 lead. Ahlers notched the next two Air Force points (kill, block with Cooper) for the 7-6 advantage, but Montana tied the set at eight and eventually took a three-point lead (13-10). The Falcons forced the Grizzlies into three straight errors, while a triple block from Cooper, Juarez and Keith tied the set at 14. The Falcons pushed their advantage to two (16-14) behind a Keith/Cooper block, while another stop by the pair broke a tie at 16-all. Montana retook the lead at 18-17, but freshman BrookeLyn Messenger put down a kill to even the set once more. The two teams traded the next several scores, with Air Force earning set-tying kills from Cooper (19) and junior Mackenzie Robertson (20). The Falcons forced the Grizzlies into five-straight attacking errors, as they closed out the set with a 25-20 win.
Â
Montana scored early and often in the third set, jumping out to a 9-2 lead. Juarez tallied a pair of kills, but the Grizzlies doubled-up the Falcons 10-5. Cooper and classmate Sarah Markwardt teamed up for a block (7-12), while Markwardt tallied a kill at the 8-14 mark. A score from Robertson put the Falcons in double figures (10-17) and Juarez added another pair of kills, but Montana denied the sweep with a 25-12 win.
Â
Messenger recorded a kill to stare the fourth, but the Grizzlies took the early 3-1 lead. Sophomore Lily Landis notched a service ace (4-5), while another score from Keith kept the Falcons within one at the 5-6 mark. Back-to-back kills from Markwardt and Robertson helped Air Force event the set at eight, but Montana scored the next four points to go ahead 12-8. Landis put down a kill to halt the Grizzlies run, while Messenger and Ssozi (two) registered kills during a 5-0 run by the Falcons that gave the home team its first lead of the set (13-12). The teams traded the next few points, as a score from Robertson broke a 13-13 tie and Ssozi put down a pair of set-tying kills (15-all, 16-all). Montana retook the lead, but Air Force was able to force the Grizzlies into an attacking error that evened the set at 19. Another Ssozi kill tied the set at 22, but Montana scored the final three points to even the match at two with the 25-22 win.
Â
Ssozi struck first in the deciding set, while kills from Keith gave Air Force the 3-1 and 4-2 advantages. The Grizzlies scored four-straight points to go up two (6-4) and head into the switch with an 8-6 lead. Kills from Ssozi and Ahlers helped Air Force tied the set 10, while a Keith kill gave Air Force the 12-11 lead. Messenger added one more kill (13-14), but Montana scored the final two points for the 15-13 victory.
Â
Air Force closes out the Thin Air Challenge – and the non-conference portion of its season – tomorrow night (Sept. 21), when it hosts Santa Clara at 7:00 p.m. (MT), inside Cadet East Gym.
Â
It was the fourth time in as many meetings that the Falcons and Grizzlies have gone to a deciding fifth set.
Â
Backed by a match-high seven stops from freshman Taleah Cooper, Air Force combined for 23 assisted blocks on the night (11.5 total blocks). Sophomore Bailey Keith assisted on six, while juniors Cambria Galloway and Andi Ahlers also accounted for multiple stops (three assisted blocks each). In addition to her stops at the net, Ahlers picked up her fifth double-double of the year with 34 assists and 12 digs. Senior Denise Ssozi posted a match-high 17 kills on .316 hitting, while Keith added 12 scores on .182 hitting and accounted for one of the Falcons' two service aces. Junior Alex King rounded out the Falcons' list of statistical leaders with 14 digs.
Â
Keith earned the Falcons' first offensive point of the match, tallying a kill at the 3-2 mark, but Montana responded with the next four points to double Air Force up at 6-3. The Grizzlies maintained a three-point lead (8-5), before the Falcons used a pair of kills from Ssozi to knot the set at nine. Montana again pushed ahead to a three-point lead (13-10) and forced the Falcons into a timeout, but a pair of kills from sophomore Vittoria Juarez and back-to-back blocks from Galloway (one with Ssozi, one with Ahlers) saw Air Force tie the set at 16. A score by Keith evened the set at 18, but Montana retook the lead on the next play. Another Keith kill brought the Falcons within one (21-22), while consecutive kills from Juarez and Ssozi tied the set at 23. The Grizzlies reached set point first (24-23), but three straight kills from Cooper and Ssozi (two) gave Air Force the 26-24 come-from-behind victory.
Â
Keith had a hand in the Falcons' first five points of the second set, tallying two kills, two blocks (one with Galloway, one with Cooper) and a service ace to give the Falcons a 5-4 lead. Ahlers notched the next two Air Force points (kill, block with Cooper) for the 7-6 advantage, but Montana tied the set at eight and eventually took a three-point lead (13-10). The Falcons forced the Grizzlies into three straight errors, while a triple block from Cooper, Juarez and Keith tied the set at 14. The Falcons pushed their advantage to two (16-14) behind a Keith/Cooper block, while another stop by the pair broke a tie at 16-all. Montana retook the lead at 18-17, but freshman BrookeLyn Messenger put down a kill to even the set once more. The two teams traded the next several scores, with Air Force earning set-tying kills from Cooper (19) and junior Mackenzie Robertson (20). The Falcons forced the Grizzlies into five-straight attacking errors, as they closed out the set with a 25-20 win.
Â
Montana scored early and often in the third set, jumping out to a 9-2 lead. Juarez tallied a pair of kills, but the Grizzlies doubled-up the Falcons 10-5. Cooper and classmate Sarah Markwardt teamed up for a block (7-12), while Markwardt tallied a kill at the 8-14 mark. A score from Robertson put the Falcons in double figures (10-17) and Juarez added another pair of kills, but Montana denied the sweep with a 25-12 win.
Â
Messenger recorded a kill to stare the fourth, but the Grizzlies took the early 3-1 lead. Sophomore Lily Landis notched a service ace (4-5), while another score from Keith kept the Falcons within one at the 5-6 mark. Back-to-back kills from Markwardt and Robertson helped Air Force event the set at eight, but Montana scored the next four points to go ahead 12-8. Landis put down a kill to halt the Grizzlies run, while Messenger and Ssozi (two) registered kills during a 5-0 run by the Falcons that gave the home team its first lead of the set (13-12). The teams traded the next few points, as a score from Robertson broke a 13-13 tie and Ssozi put down a pair of set-tying kills (15-all, 16-all). Montana retook the lead, but Air Force was able to force the Grizzlies into an attacking error that evened the set at 19. Another Ssozi kill tied the set at 22, but Montana scored the final three points to even the match at two with the 25-22 win.
Â
Ssozi struck first in the deciding set, while kills from Keith gave Air Force the 3-1 and 4-2 advantages. The Grizzlies scored four-straight points to go up two (6-4) and head into the switch with an 8-6 lead. Kills from Ssozi and Ahlers helped Air Force tied the set 10, while a Keith kill gave Air Force the 12-11 lead. Messenger added one more kill (13-14), but Montana scored the final two points for the 15-13 victory.
Â
Air Force closes out the Thin Air Challenge – and the non-conference portion of its season – tomorrow night (Sept. 21), when it hosts Santa Clara at 7:00 p.m. (MT), inside Cadet East Gym.
Team Stats
Mont
USAFA
Kills
56
54
Errors
27
33
Attempts
154
163
Hitting %
.188
.129
Points
74
67.5
Assists
48
51
Aces
5
2
Blocks
13
11.5
Game Leaders
Kills
17
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
12
Aces
1
Blocks
6
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Players Mentioned
S
/ Women's Volleyball
MB/OPP
/ Women's Volleyball
RS
/ Women's VolleyballOH/RS
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ 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
