Tuesday, November 16
USAFA
6:00 pm MT
Air Force Academy
2
vs
3
New Mexico
Photo by: Trevor Cokley
Air Force Falls to New Mexico in Home Finale
11/16/2021 11:19:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Savannah Neal registered a career-high 12 kills, as she and Bailey Keith led the Falcons.
USAF ACADEMY, Colo. – The Air Force volleyball team closed out the home portion of its 2021 season with a tough 25-23, 20-25, 25-17, 18-25, 5-15 loss to New Mexico at Cadet East Gym this evening (Nov. 16). Despite the loss, the Falcons finished the season with a winning record (7-5) on their home court.
Sophomore Savannah Neal and senior Bailey Keith led the Falcons with 12 kills apiece – a career-high tally for Neal, who hit .348 on the night with only four errors on 23 attempts. Keith, who led all players in digs (17) for her first double-double of the year (third overall), also tied with sophomore Joi Harvey for the match-high in blocks (five – all assisted for Keith; one solo, four assisted for Harvey). Sophomore Caroline Reinkensmeyer (24) and senior Lily Landis (21) combined for 45 of the team's 50 assists, while Reinkensmeyer also registered half of the Falcons' eight service aces.
Keith recorded the Falcons' first two points of the match to tie the set at two, while a pair of scores from freshman Mac Russ helped Air Force take a 6-5 lead. The Lobos took an 8-6 advantage, but three points from Harvey (block with Keith, two kills) gave the Falcons a 10-9 lead, with the last kill sparking a 4-0 run that pushed Air Force's lead out to four (13-9). New Mexico responded with five of the next six points to tie the set at 14, but junior BrookeLyn Messenger halted the run – and the longest play of the night – with a kill to give Air Force the 15-14 advantage. Neal recorded a pair of set-tying kills at 16- and 17-all, while an ace from Reinkensmeyer (18-17) and a kill from freshman Ella Tschuor (19-18) gave the lead back to Air Force. Messenger tied the set at 20 and the Falcons benefitted from two UNM errors to take a 22-20 advantage. The Lobos pulled within one three more times, but kills from Messenger, Russ and Keith secured the 25-23 victory for the Falcons.
New Mexico scored early and often in the opening moments of the second set, as they jumped out to a 9-3 lead. A kill from Neal halted the run and kicked off a 7-2 run that brought Air Force within one (10-11) and included a pair of scores from Harvey (kill, solo block), a kill from Keith and another ace from Reinkensmeyer. The Falcon stayed within one following another Keith/Harvey blocks (11-12) and kills from Tschuor (12-13) and Russ (13-14). Air Force took its first lead (15-14) after forcing the Lobos into back-to-back attacking errors, but New Mexico scored three of the next four points to take a two-point lead (18-16). Keith tallied consecutive kills to tie the set at 18, but the Lobos accounted for seven of the final nine points to even the match with a 25-20 win.
Harvey (kill), Keith (ace) and Tschuor (kill) scored the Falcons' first three points of the third, but New Mexico took another early lead (9-4). Air Force responded with eight of the next nine points, including a pair of scores from both Russ (two aces) and Keith (kill, block with Harvey), to take a 12-10 lead. Reinkensmeyer served up her third ace to push the Falcons' advantage to three (14-11), while kills from Keith (15-12), Harvey (16-13), Tschuor (17-14) and Neal (18-15) maintained that lead. Russ assisted on a pair of blocks – one with Neal, one with Keith – to push the Falcons' lead out to six (21-15), while two more scores from Neal and another Reinkensmeyer ace secured the 25-17 victory for Air Force.
Keith and Russ helped Air Force to an early four-all tie in the fourth, while kills from Keith (two), Neal (two) and Tschuor gave the Falcons a 9-8 lead. Keith added another score, but the Lobos used an 8-1 run to turn their one-point deficit into a six-point advantage (16-10). Messenger served up an ace to bring Air Force back within two (17-19), but New Mexico used a 6-1 run to claim the 25-18 win and send Air Force to just its fourth five-set match of the season.
Air Force earned the opening point of the deciding set, but New Mexico raced out to a 7-1 advantage to take control of the set. Keith and Harvey teamed up for another block (3-7) and Russ added a kill (5-13), but the Lobos completed the comeback with the 15-5 win.
Air Force closes out the 2021 campaign on Thursday (Nov. 18), when it travels to California to face Fresno State at the Save Mart Center. Action is slated to begin at 6:00 p.m. (PT).
Sophomore Savannah Neal and senior Bailey Keith led the Falcons with 12 kills apiece – a career-high tally for Neal, who hit .348 on the night with only four errors on 23 attempts. Keith, who led all players in digs (17) for her first double-double of the year (third overall), also tied with sophomore Joi Harvey for the match-high in blocks (five – all assisted for Keith; one solo, four assisted for Harvey). Sophomore Caroline Reinkensmeyer (24) and senior Lily Landis (21) combined for 45 of the team's 50 assists, while Reinkensmeyer also registered half of the Falcons' eight service aces.
Keith recorded the Falcons' first two points of the match to tie the set at two, while a pair of scores from freshman Mac Russ helped Air Force take a 6-5 lead. The Lobos took an 8-6 advantage, but three points from Harvey (block with Keith, two kills) gave the Falcons a 10-9 lead, with the last kill sparking a 4-0 run that pushed Air Force's lead out to four (13-9). New Mexico responded with five of the next six points to tie the set at 14, but junior BrookeLyn Messenger halted the run – and the longest play of the night – with a kill to give Air Force the 15-14 advantage. Neal recorded a pair of set-tying kills at 16- and 17-all, while an ace from Reinkensmeyer (18-17) and a kill from freshman Ella Tschuor (19-18) gave the lead back to Air Force. Messenger tied the set at 20 and the Falcons benefitted from two UNM errors to take a 22-20 advantage. The Lobos pulled within one three more times, but kills from Messenger, Russ and Keith secured the 25-23 victory for the Falcons.
New Mexico scored early and often in the opening moments of the second set, as they jumped out to a 9-3 lead. A kill from Neal halted the run and kicked off a 7-2 run that brought Air Force within one (10-11) and included a pair of scores from Harvey (kill, solo block), a kill from Keith and another ace from Reinkensmeyer. The Falcon stayed within one following another Keith/Harvey blocks (11-12) and kills from Tschuor (12-13) and Russ (13-14). Air Force took its first lead (15-14) after forcing the Lobos into back-to-back attacking errors, but New Mexico scored three of the next four points to take a two-point lead (18-16). Keith tallied consecutive kills to tie the set at 18, but the Lobos accounted for seven of the final nine points to even the match with a 25-20 win.
Harvey (kill), Keith (ace) and Tschuor (kill) scored the Falcons' first three points of the third, but New Mexico took another early lead (9-4). Air Force responded with eight of the next nine points, including a pair of scores from both Russ (two aces) and Keith (kill, block with Harvey), to take a 12-10 lead. Reinkensmeyer served up her third ace to push the Falcons' advantage to three (14-11), while kills from Keith (15-12), Harvey (16-13), Tschuor (17-14) and Neal (18-15) maintained that lead. Russ assisted on a pair of blocks – one with Neal, one with Keith – to push the Falcons' lead out to six (21-15), while two more scores from Neal and another Reinkensmeyer ace secured the 25-17 victory for Air Force.
Keith and Russ helped Air Force to an early four-all tie in the fourth, while kills from Keith (two), Neal (two) and Tschuor gave the Falcons a 9-8 lead. Keith added another score, but the Lobos used an 8-1 run to turn their one-point deficit into a six-point advantage (16-10). Messenger served up an ace to bring Air Force back within two (17-19), but New Mexico used a 6-1 run to claim the 25-18 win and send Air Force to just its fourth five-set match of the season.
Air Force earned the opening point of the deciding set, but New Mexico raced out to a 7-1 advantage to take control of the set. Keith and Harvey teamed up for another block (3-7) and Russ added a kill (5-13), but the Lobos completed the comeback with the 15-5 win.
Air Force closes out the 2021 campaign on Thursday (Nov. 18), when it travels to California to face Fresno State at the Save Mart Center. Action is slated to begin at 6:00 p.m. (PT).
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
S/OPP
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
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