Thursday, November 11
USAFA
6:00 pm MT
Air Force Academy
7-18,4-11Mountain West
3
vs
2
San Diego State
7-20,4-11Mountain West
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego St. | 19 | 25 | 25 | 17 | 9 | 2 |
| Air Force | 25 | 22 | 23 | 25 | 15 | 3 |
Photo by: Justin Pacheco
Air Force Earns Wild Win Over San Diego State
11/11/2021 11:19:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Bailey Keith registered a career-high 18 kills during the five-set victory over the Aztecs.
USAF ACADEMY, Colo. – Backed by a career-high 18 kills from senior Bailey Keith and another solid all-around team performance, the Air Force volleyball team opened its final homestand of the season with a wild five-set victory over San Diego State this evening (Nov. 11) at Cadet East Gym. The Falcons picked up their fourth-straight home victory over the Aztecs – and sixth in the last seven years – with the 25-19, 22-25, 23-25, 25-17, 15-9 win.
Keith, who equaled her career-high of 18 kills on .256 hitting (18-8-39), was one of three Falcons to tally double-digit kills on the night, as sophomore Joi Harvey tallied 12 on .320 hitting (12-4-25) and junior BrookeLyn Messenger matched her season-best with 10 kills and four aces. The trio – part of the 10-Falcon group that recorded kills on the night, also helped Air Force to a season-high 17-block night. Harvey led the way with 10 total stops (two solo, eight assisted) and her second double-double of the season, while Messenger added six (one solo, five assisted) and Keith was one three Falcons – sophomore Aaryn Scires, junior Taleah Cooper – to account for four blocks (all assisted). Sophomore Caroline Reinkensmeyer, who also earned multiple aces in the match (two), registered a team-high 23 assists, while classmate Madison Felker rounded out the Falcons' statistical leaders with 12 digs.
Reinkensmeyer opened the match with an ace, but the Aztecs scored seven of the next 10 points to take an early 7-4 lead. Freshman Mac Russ stopped the run with a strike, while two kills and a block from Scires (assisted by Messenger) helped the Falcons event the set at eight. Air Force took the lead back on the ensuing point, while another kill from Scires broke a 10-all tie and helped the Falcons push their advantage to three (13-10). Harvey put down a pair of kills, but San Diego State used a four-point run to tie the set at 16. Keith put down a kill to break the tie, while Russ recorded a kill and block (assisted by Messenger) to push Air Force's lead back to four (20-16). Freshman Ellie Eichhorn registered a kill and service ace, while a strike from Russ secured the 25-19 victory for the Falcons.
San Diego State took a quick 5-2 lead to open the second set, but Keith and sophomore Savannah Neal put down back-to-back kills to help Air Force tie the set at six. The Falcons earned scores from Scires (kill), Harvey (kill), Reinkensmeyer (ace) and Messenger (kill), but the Aztecs held onto a four-point lead at the 16-12 mark. Messenger (kill, ace) and Keith (two kills) combined for Air Force's next four points, while a strike from Scires brought Air Force within one (17-18). San Diego State extended its lead back to four (21-17), before Keith and Harvey teamed up for a 5-0 run that gave Air Force its first lead at the 22-21 mark. The pair, who teamed up for a block at 20-21, also recorded two individual points (two kills for Keith, a kill and solo stop for Harvey) during that run, but the Aztecs scored the final four points for the 25-22 win.
Following a quick 3-1 start by the Aztecs, the teams traded the next several points, with a kill from Russ helping Air Force tie the set at six. San Diego State responded with a 4-1 run to take a 10-7 lead, but Keith and Harvey teamed up for a three-point Air Force swing, as the pair each registered a kill and teamed up for a block to tie the set again at 10. Air Force took the lead on the next point and the teams traded a pair of 3-1 runs, with junior Sarah Markwardt tying the set at 13 during the Falcons' stretch. A Keith kill and Messenger block evened the set at 17 and the teams traded another set of runs – 4-0 streaks this time. Kills from Messenger and Harvey, as well as an ace from sophomore Allie Griffith, tied the set at 21 during Air Force's run. Scires put down a kill to tie the set at 22, but San Diego State scored three of the final four points for the narrow 25-23 victory.
San Diego State jumped out to a fast 5-2 lead in the fourth set, but Air Force responded with 11 of the next 14 points to take a 13-8 advantage and force the Aztecs into a timeout. The Falcons recorded four blocks during the run, with Cooper, Harvey and Markwardt each having a hand in two. Messenger, who assisted on Cooper's first block, also added two kills and an ace in that stretch. Three points from Keith (two kills, assisted block with Cooper) broke up a 6-3 run by San Diego State, which pulled within two at 16-14. Kills from Cooper and Messenger pushed the Falcons lead back to four (19-14), while blocks from Harvey bookended another ace by Messenger to help Air Force tie the match with the 25-17 win.
Although the Aztecs earned the opening point of the deciding set, Air Force took control and rolled out to a 9-5 lead behind three points from Keith (two kills, assisted stop with Cooper) and back-to-back Harvey/Scires blocks. Messenger added a pair of strikes to help Air Force maintain the four-point margin (10-6) and, after forcing the Aztecs into a pair of attacking errors, Keith put down the Falcons' final two points for the 15-9 victory – Air Force's first five-set victory since defeating Iowa in early September.
With tonight's 30 ties and 15 lead changes, the season series between Air Force and San Diego State saw 65 tied scores, 27 lead changes and six sets decided by four points or less.
Air Force returns to action on Saturday (Nov. 13), when it hosts UNLV at 1:00 p.m. (MT).
Keith, who equaled her career-high of 18 kills on .256 hitting (18-8-39), was one of three Falcons to tally double-digit kills on the night, as sophomore Joi Harvey tallied 12 on .320 hitting (12-4-25) and junior BrookeLyn Messenger matched her season-best with 10 kills and four aces. The trio – part of the 10-Falcon group that recorded kills on the night, also helped Air Force to a season-high 17-block night. Harvey led the way with 10 total stops (two solo, eight assisted) and her second double-double of the season, while Messenger added six (one solo, five assisted) and Keith was one three Falcons – sophomore Aaryn Scires, junior Taleah Cooper – to account for four blocks (all assisted). Sophomore Caroline Reinkensmeyer, who also earned multiple aces in the match (two), registered a team-high 23 assists, while classmate Madison Felker rounded out the Falcons' statistical leaders with 12 digs.
Reinkensmeyer opened the match with an ace, but the Aztecs scored seven of the next 10 points to take an early 7-4 lead. Freshman Mac Russ stopped the run with a strike, while two kills and a block from Scires (assisted by Messenger) helped the Falcons event the set at eight. Air Force took the lead back on the ensuing point, while another kill from Scires broke a 10-all tie and helped the Falcons push their advantage to three (13-10). Harvey put down a pair of kills, but San Diego State used a four-point run to tie the set at 16. Keith put down a kill to break the tie, while Russ recorded a kill and block (assisted by Messenger) to push Air Force's lead back to four (20-16). Freshman Ellie Eichhorn registered a kill and service ace, while a strike from Russ secured the 25-19 victory for the Falcons.
San Diego State took a quick 5-2 lead to open the second set, but Keith and sophomore Savannah Neal put down back-to-back kills to help Air Force tie the set at six. The Falcons earned scores from Scires (kill), Harvey (kill), Reinkensmeyer (ace) and Messenger (kill), but the Aztecs held onto a four-point lead at the 16-12 mark. Messenger (kill, ace) and Keith (two kills) combined for Air Force's next four points, while a strike from Scires brought Air Force within one (17-18). San Diego State extended its lead back to four (21-17), before Keith and Harvey teamed up for a 5-0 run that gave Air Force its first lead at the 22-21 mark. The pair, who teamed up for a block at 20-21, also recorded two individual points (two kills for Keith, a kill and solo stop for Harvey) during that run, but the Aztecs scored the final four points for the 25-22 win.
Following a quick 3-1 start by the Aztecs, the teams traded the next several points, with a kill from Russ helping Air Force tie the set at six. San Diego State responded with a 4-1 run to take a 10-7 lead, but Keith and Harvey teamed up for a three-point Air Force swing, as the pair each registered a kill and teamed up for a block to tie the set again at 10. Air Force took the lead on the next point and the teams traded a pair of 3-1 runs, with junior Sarah Markwardt tying the set at 13 during the Falcons' stretch. A Keith kill and Messenger block evened the set at 17 and the teams traded another set of runs – 4-0 streaks this time. Kills from Messenger and Harvey, as well as an ace from sophomore Allie Griffith, tied the set at 21 during Air Force's run. Scires put down a kill to tie the set at 22, but San Diego State scored three of the final four points for the narrow 25-23 victory.
San Diego State jumped out to a fast 5-2 lead in the fourth set, but Air Force responded with 11 of the next 14 points to take a 13-8 advantage and force the Aztecs into a timeout. The Falcons recorded four blocks during the run, with Cooper, Harvey and Markwardt each having a hand in two. Messenger, who assisted on Cooper's first block, also added two kills and an ace in that stretch. Three points from Keith (two kills, assisted block with Cooper) broke up a 6-3 run by San Diego State, which pulled within two at 16-14. Kills from Cooper and Messenger pushed the Falcons lead back to four (19-14), while blocks from Harvey bookended another ace by Messenger to help Air Force tie the match with the 25-17 win.
Although the Aztecs earned the opening point of the deciding set, Air Force took control and rolled out to a 9-5 lead behind three points from Keith (two kills, assisted stop with Cooper) and back-to-back Harvey/Scires blocks. Messenger added a pair of strikes to help Air Force maintain the four-point margin (10-6) and, after forcing the Aztecs into a pair of attacking errors, Keith put down the Falcons' final two points for the 15-9 victory – Air Force's first five-set victory since defeating Iowa in early September.
With tonight's 30 ties and 15 lead changes, the season series between Air Force and San Diego State saw 65 tied scores, 27 lead changes and six sets decided by four points or less.
Air Force returns to action on Saturday (Nov. 13), when it hosts UNLV at 1:00 p.m. (MT).
Team Stats
SDSU
USAFA
Kills
55
58
Errors
36
31
Attempts
153
156
Hitting %
.124
.173
Points
62.5
84
Assists
54
49
Aces
1
9
Blocks
6.5
17
Game Leaders
Kills
18
Aces
0
Blocks
4
Kills
12
Aces
0
Blocks
10
Kills
10
Aces
4
Blocks
6
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
4
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
DS/L
/ Women's Volleyball
DS/L
/ Women's VolleyballMB
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
S/OPP
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's VolleyballMB/OPP
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