Air Force Drops 3-2 Match to Santa Clara

USAF ACADEMY, Colo. – The Air Force volleyball team closed out the non-conference portion of its season with a 3-2 loss to Santa Clara this evening (Sept. 21) during the final match of the Thin Air Challenge at the Academy. With the 21-25, 26-24, 25-23, 22-25, 9-15 setback to the Broncos, Air Force finished its non-conference slate with a 3-9 record.

Sophomore Vittoria Juarez (career-high 17), senior Denise Ssozi (16) and sophomore Bailey Keith (12) combined for 45 of the team's 56 kills, with Juarez hitting at a team-high .333 clip, registering her first double-double (10 digs) and adding three blocks (one solo, two assisted). Juarez was one of three Falcons to tally double-doubles on the night, as junior Andi Ahlers tallied team-high totals in assists (39) and digs (19) to register her sixth of the year, while Ssozi picked up her first of the season with 11 digs. Junior Mackenzie Robertson rounded out the Falcons' list of stat leaders with two service aces and four blocks.

Santa Clara took the early 4-2 lead to open the set, but Air Force scored the next four points to take a 6-4 advantage. The Broncos scored eight of the next 10 points (12-8), before Ssozi put down back-to-back scores that brought Air Force within two (10-12). Santa Clara pushed its lead to six (18-12), before Juarez (three), Keith (five) and Ssozi (one) put down kills to bring the Falcons back within two (21-23). The trio combined for Air Force's final nine points, but Santa Clara took the opening set by a 25-21 margin.

Backed by two kills and an assisted block from Juarez, Air Force jumped out to a 7-1 lead to start the second set. Despite a pair of scores from Ssozi and a kill from junior Cambria Galloway, the Broncos climbed back within one at the 12-11 mark. Air Force forced Santa Clara into three-straight attacking errors, while a kill from Robertson gave Air Force the 16-12 lead. Ssozi added another pair of kills, but the Broncos came back to even the set at 24. Keith stopped their run with a kill, while an errant attack from the visitors helped Air Force even the match with a 26-24 win.

The third set started out much like the second, as Air Force scored the first six points and forced Santa Clara into the early timeout. This time, Keith was the Falcon that accounted for two kills and an assisted block during the opening run, while a score from Juarez helped push Air Force's lead to seven (9-2). THe Broncos pulled within two (9-7), before Robertson and freshman BrookeLyn Messenger teamed up for a block that pushed the Falcons' lead back to four (11-7). The teams traded the next few points, but Santa Clara climbed back to tie the set at 19 and take the lead on the ensuing point during a 5-1 run that pushed the Broncos' advantage to three at the 23-20 mark. A kill and assisted block from Juarez evened the set at 23, while a service ace from Ssozi secured the 25-23 victory for the Falcons.

The roles reversed in the fourth set, with Santa Clara jumping out to the early lead and Air Force having to mount the comeback. The Broncos tallied six-straight points to take the early 8-2 lead, but the Falcons responded with the next six scores to tie the set at eight. Robertson tallied both of her service aces during that run, while Galloway and sophomore Lily Landis notched kills. The Broncos retook the lead during an 8-2 run (16-10), but three kills from Juarez and two points from Keith (ace, block with Robertson) broke Air Force back within one (16-17). A short 4-1 run by Santa Clara (21-17) was followed by a 4-1 run by the Falcons that included a Ssozi/Galloway block to bring Air Force back within one (21-22). However, Santa Clara scored three of the final four points to take the 25-22 victory and even the match at two.

Santa Clara took a quick 4-1 lead in the deciding set, but four-straight kills from Juarez (two), Keith and Robertson helped Air Force take the lead at the 5-4 mark. The Falcons maintained a one-point advantage off of another Juarez kill (7-6), but Santa Clara scored nine of the final 11 points to take the 15-9 victory.

Air Force closes out its seven-match homestand next Thursday (Sept. 26), when it opens Mountain West action against Utah State at 6:30 p.m. (MT) inside Cadet East Gym.

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Team Stats

Vittoria Juarez

Denise Ssozi

Bailey Keith

Cambria Galloway

Players Mentioned

Andi Ahlers

Cambria Galloway

Vittoria Juarez

Bailey Keith

Lily Landis

BrookeLyn Messenger

Mackenzie Robertson

Denise Ssozi

Players Mentioned

Andi Ahlers

Cambria Galloway

Vittoria Juarez

Bailey Keith

Lily Landis

BrookeLyn Messenger

Mackenzie Robertson

Denise Ssozi

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