Friday, March 5
USAFA
6:00 pm MT
Air Force Academy
5-4,5-4Mountain Wes
3
vs
1
Fresno State
4-3,4-3Mountain Wes
1
2
3
4
F
Fresno St.
25
15
14
15
1
Air Force
22
25
25
25
3
Photo by: Trevor Cokley
Air Force Downs Fresno State in Four
3/5/2021 10:29:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Sarah Markwardt accounted for half of the team's eight service aces in the win.
USAF ACADEMY, Colo. – The Air Force volleyball team kicked off the second half of its delayed conference season with an impressive 3-1 victory over Fresno State (4-3) on Friday, March 5, at the Cadet East Gym. After dropping the opening set by a narrow 25-22 margin, the Falcons rattled off three-straight set wins (25-15, 25-14, 25-15) to capture their fifth win of the season (5-4).
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Despite facing a Bulldog team that had held their opponents to a league-low .164 hitting, Air Force combined for its second-highest offensive performance (.279 hitting, 62 kills) of the year. Junior Vittoria Juarez, who recorded a match-high 16 kills on .243 hitting, was one of four Falcons – sophomore BrookeLyn Messenger (13), junior Bailey Keith (11), freshman Joi Harvey (10) – to tally double-digit kills and one of five Falcons – Harvey (.474), Keith (.296), sophomore Sarah Markwardt (.286), Messenger (.267) – to hit over .200 on the night. Freshman Caroline Reinkensmeyer (25) and senior Andi Ahlers (24) assisted on the Falcons' offense, as the pair combined for 49 of the team's 58 sets – another statistic that was the team's second-highest total of the season.
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Air Force also saw eight service aces contribute to its point production, while the team added nine points off the block. Markwardt led the team from the line, accounting for half of the team's aces, while Messenger, Keith, Ahlers and freshman Maddie Felker also served up a score. Backed by five assisted blocks from Harvey and at least assisted stops from Keith, Juarez and senior Cambria Galloway, Air Force also equaled its second-highest blocking performance of the year (9.0 total blocks).
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Back-to-back kills from Juarez helped Air Force take a 3-0 lead to start the match, while junior Abigail Collins put down a kill to break a tie at four-all and teamed up with Markwardt for a block that broke a tie at six-all. After putting down a kill to even the set at eight, Messenger broke that tie with an ace on the ensuing play. Markwardt tallied a pair of kills, while a kill from Keith and a block from Juarez and Galloway helped Air Force take a four-point advantage (14-10). Fresno State responded with seven of the next eight points to take its own lead (17-15), before Harvey and Juarez combined for the next three points (Harvey kill, Juarez kill, Harvey/Juarez block) to give the advantage back to Air Force (18-17). Again, the Bulldogs scored seven of the next eight points (24-19) and, although Air Force held its visitors at set-point for three-straight plays, Fresno State recorded the final point for the 25-22 victory.
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Markwardt and Juarez tallied points in the opening plays of the second set, but Fresno State used a four-point run to take the early 6-4 lead. Keith put down a kill to stop the run – and spark a five-point run by the Falcons that included an ace from Keith and a kill from Juarez (9-6). Air Force pushed its lead to four (11-7) off another kill from Messenger, while scores from Harvey (12-8) and Markwardt (13-9) maintained that advantage. Back-to-back aces from Markwardt extended the lead to five (16-11), while Juarez tallied a pair of kills that pushed the advantage to six (17-11, 18-12). Air Force continued to pull away, as Harvey put down multiple kills to help the Falcons stretch their lead to seven (19-12, 21-14, 22-15), eight (23-15), nine (24-15) and – at the final whistle – ten (25-15).
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Kills from Keith and Juarez, as well as an ace from Markwardt, helped Air Force jump out to a quick 4-0 lead to start the third, while additional scores from Galloway, Harvey and Messenger forced the Bulldogs into a timeout at the 11-5 mark. Fresno State closed the gap, but Messenger, Ahlers, Keith and Harvey accounted for the squad's next four kills and a three-point swing from Juarez, Messenger and Markwardt put Air Force up seven (19-12). Back-to-back kills from Messenger, as well as a an Ahlers' ace, put the Falcons at set point (24-13) and another strike from Messenger secured the 25-14 win for Air Force.
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The Bulldogs jumped out to an early 3-1 lead in the fourth, but Air Force roared back, scoring the six of the next seven points to turn its deficit into a 7-4 lead. Keith tallied a pair of kills during that run, while also teaming up with Harvey for a block. Fresno State pulled within one three times in the next several plays, but kills from Messenger (9-7), Markwardt (10-8) and Keith (12-10) stopped the Bulldogs from getting any closer. Keith's kill put Markwardt at the line and sparked a run by the Falcons that pushed their advantage out to seven (17-10). In addition to teaming up with Galloway for a block, Keith added another kill during that run, while Markwardt (ace) and Juarez (kill) also accounted for scores. Air Force continued to extend its lead, as Harvey and Keith put down kills and teamed up for a block on back-to-back-to-back plays (21-11). Felker served up an ace for her first collegiate state (23-13), while kills from Juarez and Markwardt secured the 25-15 victory for Air Force and its third four-set win of the year.
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Air Force and Fresno State close out the series tomorrow (March 6) at 4:00 p.m. (MT).
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Despite facing a Bulldog team that had held their opponents to a league-low .164 hitting, Air Force combined for its second-highest offensive performance (.279 hitting, 62 kills) of the year. Junior Vittoria Juarez, who recorded a match-high 16 kills on .243 hitting, was one of four Falcons – sophomore BrookeLyn Messenger (13), junior Bailey Keith (11), freshman Joi Harvey (10) – to tally double-digit kills and one of five Falcons – Harvey (.474), Keith (.296), sophomore Sarah Markwardt (.286), Messenger (.267) – to hit over .200 on the night. Freshman Caroline Reinkensmeyer (25) and senior Andi Ahlers (24) assisted on the Falcons' offense, as the pair combined for 49 of the team's 58 sets – another statistic that was the team's second-highest total of the season.
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Air Force also saw eight service aces contribute to its point production, while the team added nine points off the block. Markwardt led the team from the line, accounting for half of the team's aces, while Messenger, Keith, Ahlers and freshman Maddie Felker also served up a score. Backed by five assisted blocks from Harvey and at least assisted stops from Keith, Juarez and senior Cambria Galloway, Air Force also equaled its second-highest blocking performance of the year (9.0 total blocks).
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Back-to-back kills from Juarez helped Air Force take a 3-0 lead to start the match, while junior Abigail Collins put down a kill to break a tie at four-all and teamed up with Markwardt for a block that broke a tie at six-all. After putting down a kill to even the set at eight, Messenger broke that tie with an ace on the ensuing play. Markwardt tallied a pair of kills, while a kill from Keith and a block from Juarez and Galloway helped Air Force take a four-point advantage (14-10). Fresno State responded with seven of the next eight points to take its own lead (17-15), before Harvey and Juarez combined for the next three points (Harvey kill, Juarez kill, Harvey/Juarez block) to give the advantage back to Air Force (18-17). Again, the Bulldogs scored seven of the next eight points (24-19) and, although Air Force held its visitors at set-point for three-straight plays, Fresno State recorded the final point for the 25-22 victory.
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Markwardt and Juarez tallied points in the opening plays of the second set, but Fresno State used a four-point run to take the early 6-4 lead. Keith put down a kill to stop the run – and spark a five-point run by the Falcons that included an ace from Keith and a kill from Juarez (9-6). Air Force pushed its lead to four (11-7) off another kill from Messenger, while scores from Harvey (12-8) and Markwardt (13-9) maintained that advantage. Back-to-back aces from Markwardt extended the lead to five (16-11), while Juarez tallied a pair of kills that pushed the advantage to six (17-11, 18-12). Air Force continued to pull away, as Harvey put down multiple kills to help the Falcons stretch their lead to seven (19-12, 21-14, 22-15), eight (23-15), nine (24-15) and – at the final whistle – ten (25-15).
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Kills from Keith and Juarez, as well as an ace from Markwardt, helped Air Force jump out to a quick 4-0 lead to start the third, while additional scores from Galloway, Harvey and Messenger forced the Bulldogs into a timeout at the 11-5 mark. Fresno State closed the gap, but Messenger, Ahlers, Keith and Harvey accounted for the squad's next four kills and a three-point swing from Juarez, Messenger and Markwardt put Air Force up seven (19-12). Back-to-back kills from Messenger, as well as a an Ahlers' ace, put the Falcons at set point (24-13) and another strike from Messenger secured the 25-14 win for Air Force.
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The Bulldogs jumped out to an early 3-1 lead in the fourth, but Air Force roared back, scoring the six of the next seven points to turn its deficit into a 7-4 lead. Keith tallied a pair of kills during that run, while also teaming up with Harvey for a block. Fresno State pulled within one three times in the next several plays, but kills from Messenger (9-7), Markwardt (10-8) and Keith (12-10) stopped the Bulldogs from getting any closer. Keith's kill put Markwardt at the line and sparked a run by the Falcons that pushed their advantage out to seven (17-10). In addition to teaming up with Galloway for a block, Keith added another kill during that run, while Markwardt (ace) and Juarez (kill) also accounted for scores. Air Force continued to extend its lead, as Harvey and Keith put down kills and teamed up for a block on back-to-back-to-back plays (21-11). Felker served up an ace for her first collegiate state (23-13), while kills from Juarez and Markwardt secured the 25-15 victory for Air Force and its third four-set win of the year.
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Air Force and Fresno State close out the series tomorrow (March 6) at 4:00 p.m. (MT).
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Team Stats
FS
AF
Kills
34
62
Errors
24
21
Attempts
147
147
Hitting %
.068
.279
Points
40.0
79.0
Assists
33
58
Aces
2
8
Blocks
4.0
9.0
Game Leaders
Kills
16
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
13
Aces
1
Blocks
2
Kills
11
Aces
1
Blocks
3
Kills
10
Aces
0
Blocks
5
Players Mentioned
S
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
MB/OPP
/ Women's VolleyballMB
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
S
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