
Photo by: Josh Armstrong
Falcons Drop Back-and-Forth Contest with UNLV
11/13/2021 5:56:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Backed by two 27-25 sets, the match featured 52 ties and 22 lead changes.
USAF ACADEMY, Colo. – Despite double-digit kill performances from three different players, the Air Force volleyball team dropped a narrow 3-1 decision to UNLV this afternoon (Nov. 13) at the Academy. The Falcons split the middle of the four-set match (25-23, 19-25), but two highly contested 25-27 losses bookended an intense contest that featured 52 ties and 22 lead changes.
Sophomore Aaryn Scires shined for the Falcons, tallying 14 kills on .271 hitting (14-7-29), while senior Bailey Keith and sophomore Joi Harvey each registering 11 – with nine coming in the final two sets for Keith and Harvey's coming during a team-high .421 hitting performance (11-3-19). The sophomores also accounted for a team-high four blocks each (four assisted for Scires; one solo, three assisted for Harvey), while Keith was one of five Falcons to register a service ace on the day. Junior BrookeLyn Messenger accounted for a match-high two aces, while sophomore Caroline Reinkensmeyer registered the first 30-assist match of her career (31) and classmate Madison Felker tallied a career-high 13 digs.
Scires made her mark on the match from the opening point, putting down two kills to bookend a Felker ace and help Air Force jump out to a quick 3-1 lead. The Rebels responded with five of the next six points to take a 6-4 lead, but another pair of kills from Scires highlighted a 5-1 run by the Falcons that gave the home team an 11-9 advantage. UNLV evened the score at 12 – and again at 14, while the Falcons benefitted from a pair of Rebel serving errors to tie the set at 16- and 18-all. Back-to-back kills from Keith and Harvey gave Air Force a 20-19, while consecutive scores from Scires and Harvey stopped a Rebel run and tie the set at 22. A kill from Messenger helped Air Force to a 25-24 lead, but UNLV scored the final three points for the 27-25 win.
An ace from Keith opened the second set for Air Force (2-1), while a kill from junior Taleah Cooped evened the score at four and a UNLV error tied the set at five. A kill and block by freshman Ella Tschuor (assisted by Keith) bookended a Cooper ace that gave Air Force an 8-7 lead, while four points from Harvey (three kills, block with Scires) helped Air Force push its advantage out to three at 12-9. UNLV tied the set at 15, but two more scores from Tschuor (kill, block with Cooper) and an ace from sophomore Allie Griffith returned the Falcons' lead to three (18-15). The Rebels tied the score at 18), but Air Force retook the lead following two kills from Harvey (20-18). Following ties at 20-, 21- and 23-all, Cooper and Scires teamed up for a block and Air Force forced the Rebels into an errant attack the secured the Falcons' 25-23 win.
Scires tallied the Falcons' first two points (2-1), while back-to-back kills from Keith helped Air Force tie the set at six. Another score by the senior brought Air Force within one (7-8), while a kill and solo block from Messenger evened the score at nine. Scires gave Air Force its next two leads (block with Cooper at 10-9, kill at 11-10), but a 7-3 run by the Rebels put Air Force in a 14-17 deficit. Three-straight kills from Tschuor, Keith and Harvey evened the score at 17, and the Falcons added set-tying points at 18- (Keith kill) and 19- (UNLV error), but the Rebels rattled off six-straight points for the 25-19 win.
For the third time in four sets, Scires accounted for the Falcons' first point of the game, as she teamed up with Harvey for a block on the opening play. Kills from Keith, Harvey, Felker and freshman Mac Russ gave Air Force a 5-3 lead, while a kill from Keith broke a seven-all tie and sparked a 5-1 Air Force run that included a kill from Russ, a solo block from Harvey and another kill from Keith. Keith accounted for two tie-stopping kills (13-11, 15-13) and Scires added a pair of scores, but the Rebels used a 7-2 run to take a three-point lead (20-17). Messenger single-handedly tied the set at 20 with a kill and back-to-back aces, while a kill from Tschuor broke a 22-22 tie. Air Force had two set-points with kills from Harvey (24-23) and Scires (25-24), but UNLV scored the final three points for another narrow 27-25 win.
The Falcons close out the home portion of the 2021 season on Tuesday (Nov. 16), when they host New Mexico on Senior Night. Action is slated to begin at 6:00 p.m. (MT), with the senior night celebration scheduled for the conclusion of the contest.
Sophomore Aaryn Scires shined for the Falcons, tallying 14 kills on .271 hitting (14-7-29), while senior Bailey Keith and sophomore Joi Harvey each registering 11 – with nine coming in the final two sets for Keith and Harvey's coming during a team-high .421 hitting performance (11-3-19). The sophomores also accounted for a team-high four blocks each (four assisted for Scires; one solo, three assisted for Harvey), while Keith was one of five Falcons to register a service ace on the day. Junior BrookeLyn Messenger accounted for a match-high two aces, while sophomore Caroline Reinkensmeyer registered the first 30-assist match of her career (31) and classmate Madison Felker tallied a career-high 13 digs.
Scires made her mark on the match from the opening point, putting down two kills to bookend a Felker ace and help Air Force jump out to a quick 3-1 lead. The Rebels responded with five of the next six points to take a 6-4 lead, but another pair of kills from Scires highlighted a 5-1 run by the Falcons that gave the home team an 11-9 advantage. UNLV evened the score at 12 – and again at 14, while the Falcons benefitted from a pair of Rebel serving errors to tie the set at 16- and 18-all. Back-to-back kills from Keith and Harvey gave Air Force a 20-19, while consecutive scores from Scires and Harvey stopped a Rebel run and tie the set at 22. A kill from Messenger helped Air Force to a 25-24 lead, but UNLV scored the final three points for the 27-25 win.
An ace from Keith opened the second set for Air Force (2-1), while a kill from junior Taleah Cooped evened the score at four and a UNLV error tied the set at five. A kill and block by freshman Ella Tschuor (assisted by Keith) bookended a Cooper ace that gave Air Force an 8-7 lead, while four points from Harvey (three kills, block with Scires) helped Air Force push its advantage out to three at 12-9. UNLV tied the set at 15, but two more scores from Tschuor (kill, block with Cooper) and an ace from sophomore Allie Griffith returned the Falcons' lead to three (18-15). The Rebels tied the score at 18), but Air Force retook the lead following two kills from Harvey (20-18). Following ties at 20-, 21- and 23-all, Cooper and Scires teamed up for a block and Air Force forced the Rebels into an errant attack the secured the Falcons' 25-23 win.
Scires tallied the Falcons' first two points (2-1), while back-to-back kills from Keith helped Air Force tie the set at six. Another score by the senior brought Air Force within one (7-8), while a kill and solo block from Messenger evened the score at nine. Scires gave Air Force its next two leads (block with Cooper at 10-9, kill at 11-10), but a 7-3 run by the Rebels put Air Force in a 14-17 deficit. Three-straight kills from Tschuor, Keith and Harvey evened the score at 17, and the Falcons added set-tying points at 18- (Keith kill) and 19- (UNLV error), but the Rebels rattled off six-straight points for the 25-19 win.
For the third time in four sets, Scires accounted for the Falcons' first point of the game, as she teamed up with Harvey for a block on the opening play. Kills from Keith, Harvey, Felker and freshman Mac Russ gave Air Force a 5-3 lead, while a kill from Keith broke a seven-all tie and sparked a 5-1 Air Force run that included a kill from Russ, a solo block from Harvey and another kill from Keith. Keith accounted for two tie-stopping kills (13-11, 15-13) and Scires added a pair of scores, but the Rebels used a 7-2 run to take a three-point lead (20-17). Messenger single-handedly tied the set at 20 with a kill and back-to-back aces, while a kill from Tschuor broke a 22-22 tie. Air Force had two set-points with kills from Harvey (24-23) and Scires (25-24), but UNLV scored the final three points for another narrow 27-25 win.
The Falcons close out the home portion of the 2021 season on Tuesday (Nov. 16), when they host New Mexico on Senior Night. Action is slated to begin at 6:00 p.m. (MT), with the senior night celebration scheduled for the conclusion of the contest.
Team Stats
UNLV
USAFA
Kills
55
57
Errors
19
30
Attempts
136
147
Hitting %
.265
.184
Points
75
71
Assists
52
56
Aces
5
6
Blocks
15
8
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