Saturday, October 2
San Diego, CA
2:00 pm MT
Air Force Academy
4-10 (1-3MW)
0
at
3
San Diego State
5-11 (2-2MW)
1
2
3
F
Air Force
24
25
21
0
San Diego State
26
27
25
3
Photo by: Josh Armstrong
Falcons Drop Nail-Biter to San Diego State
10/2/2021 4:48:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Bailey Keith (11 kills, four blocks) led the Falcons in a match with 25 ties and 12 lead changes.
SAN DIEGO, Calif. – In a contest that included 35 ties and 12 lead changes, the Air Force volleyball team dropped a tough nail-biter to San Diego State this afternoon (Oct. 2) at Peterson Gym. Registering nearly identical statistics in the match – and outhitting the host Aztecs during the first two sets, the Falcons dropped a pair of extra-point sets (24-26, 25-27) before falling 25-21 in the final frame.
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Senior Bailey Keith paced the Falcons with 11 kills and four blocks (all assisted), while freshman Mac Russ (nine) and sophomore Savannah Neal (eight) nearly reached double-digit totals during plus-400 hitting (.444 for Russ, .500 for Neal). Sophomore Caroline Reinkensmeyer assisted on 23 of the team's 44 kills and scored one of the team's two service aces (freshman Ella Tschuor), while freshman Murphy Riggs rounded out the Falcons' stat leaders with a career-high 10 digs.
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With two kills each, Russ and sophomore Joi Harvey teamed up for the first Falcons' first four points, as Air Force jumped out to a 4-2 lead. The Aztecs evened the score at four, before Keith and junior Sarah Markwardt assisted on a block that started a back-and-forth stretch of scoring that included a kill from Neal and a six-all tie. Keith registered a score to put the Falcons up two (8-6) and a Russ/Reinkensmeyer block maintained the two-point margin at 10-8, before the Aztecs scored four of the next five to take their first lead of the set. A kill by Neal returned the advantage to the Falcons (14-13) and a strike from junior BrookeLyn Messenger broke a 14-14 tie and sparked an 8-2 run by Air Force that included three-straight kills from Keith, a pair of scores from Russ and additional strikes from Neal and Markwardt. The run pushed the Falcons' lead to 22-16, but San Diego State responded with a scoring streak of its own, scoring 10 of the final 12 points. After a kill from Keith put the Falcons at set-point (24-21), the Aztecs rattled off the final five points to claim the 26-24 comeback.
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Reinkensmeyer opened the second set with a service ace, while Keith contributed a kill and block (Harvey assist) to help Air Force to a 5-3 lead. The Aztecs evened the score at six, before Neal (7-6, 9-8) and Messenger (8-7, 10-9) recorded four tie-breaking kills. A quick 4-1 run by San Diego State gave the home team a 13-11 lead, but a block from Harvey and Markwardt helped Air Force retake its own two-point advantage at 15-13. San Diego State scored eight of the next nine points to take a five-point lead at the 21-16 mark, before senior Abigail Collins stopped the run with a kill. Two kills and a block (Keith assist) from Russ brought the Falcons roaring back to within one (22-23), while a kill from Keith and a block from Harvey and junior Taleah Cooper helped tie the set at 24. Markwardt put down a kill to even the score at 25, but SDSU notched the final two points for another narrow, two-point win (27-25).
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Russ earned the Falcons' first two offensive points of the third set (3-3), while a block from Harvey and Tschuor gave the Air Force a 5-4 lead. Harvey added a score to break a six-all tie, while kills from Messenger and Tschuor produced set-tying points at eight and 10, respectively. San Diego State scored six of the next seven points to take a 16-11 lead, before the two teams traded the next 12 points (22-17). Harvey, Messenger, Neal and Keith added kills during that stretch, before a pair of back-to-back kills from Keith and Harvey snapped the streak and pulled Air Force within three (19-22). Although Air Force held the Aztecs at match-point with two scores off the serve – SDSU error, Tschuor ace, San Diego State earned the final score for the 25-21 victory.
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Air Force returns to action – and the Academy – next week, when it hosts Boise State on Thursday, Oct. 7, and Utah State on Saturday, Oct. 9, at Cadet East Gym.
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Senior Bailey Keith paced the Falcons with 11 kills and four blocks (all assisted), while freshman Mac Russ (nine) and sophomore Savannah Neal (eight) nearly reached double-digit totals during plus-400 hitting (.444 for Russ, .500 for Neal). Sophomore Caroline Reinkensmeyer assisted on 23 of the team's 44 kills and scored one of the team's two service aces (freshman Ella Tschuor), while freshman Murphy Riggs rounded out the Falcons' stat leaders with a career-high 10 digs.
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With two kills each, Russ and sophomore Joi Harvey teamed up for the first Falcons' first four points, as Air Force jumped out to a 4-2 lead. The Aztecs evened the score at four, before Keith and junior Sarah Markwardt assisted on a block that started a back-and-forth stretch of scoring that included a kill from Neal and a six-all tie. Keith registered a score to put the Falcons up two (8-6) and a Russ/Reinkensmeyer block maintained the two-point margin at 10-8, before the Aztecs scored four of the next five to take their first lead of the set. A kill by Neal returned the advantage to the Falcons (14-13) and a strike from junior BrookeLyn Messenger broke a 14-14 tie and sparked an 8-2 run by Air Force that included three-straight kills from Keith, a pair of scores from Russ and additional strikes from Neal and Markwardt. The run pushed the Falcons' lead to 22-16, but San Diego State responded with a scoring streak of its own, scoring 10 of the final 12 points. After a kill from Keith put the Falcons at set-point (24-21), the Aztecs rattled off the final five points to claim the 26-24 comeback.
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Reinkensmeyer opened the second set with a service ace, while Keith contributed a kill and block (Harvey assist) to help Air Force to a 5-3 lead. The Aztecs evened the score at six, before Neal (7-6, 9-8) and Messenger (8-7, 10-9) recorded four tie-breaking kills. A quick 4-1 run by San Diego State gave the home team a 13-11 lead, but a block from Harvey and Markwardt helped Air Force retake its own two-point advantage at 15-13. San Diego State scored eight of the next nine points to take a five-point lead at the 21-16 mark, before senior Abigail Collins stopped the run with a kill. Two kills and a block (Keith assist) from Russ brought the Falcons roaring back to within one (22-23), while a kill from Keith and a block from Harvey and junior Taleah Cooper helped tie the set at 24. Markwardt put down a kill to even the score at 25, but SDSU notched the final two points for another narrow, two-point win (27-25).
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Russ earned the Falcons' first two offensive points of the third set (3-3), while a block from Harvey and Tschuor gave the Air Force a 5-4 lead. Harvey added a score to break a six-all tie, while kills from Messenger and Tschuor produced set-tying points at eight and 10, respectively. San Diego State scored six of the next seven points to take a 16-11 lead, before the two teams traded the next 12 points (22-17). Harvey, Messenger, Neal and Keith added kills during that stretch, before a pair of back-to-back kills from Keith and Harvey snapped the streak and pulled Air Force within three (19-22). Although Air Force held the Aztecs at match-point with two scores off the serve – SDSU error, Tschuor ace, San Diego State earned the final score for the 25-21 victory.
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Air Force returns to action – and the Academy – next week, when it hosts Boise State on Thursday, Oct. 7, and Utah State on Saturday, Oct. 9, at Cadet East Gym.
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Team Stats
AF
SDSU
Kills
44
46
Errors
16
13
Attempts
103
98
Hitting %
.272
.337
Points
53.0
59.0
Assists
43
43
Aces
2
6
Blocks
7.0
7.0
Game Leaders
Kills
11
Aces
0
Blocks
4
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
5
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's VolleyballS/OPP
/ Women's Volleyball
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/ Women's Volleyball
DS/L
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
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