Friday, September 17
USAFA
6:00 pm MT
Air Force Academy
2-7,0-0Mountain West
3
vs
2
Iowa
2-7,0-0Big Ten
1
2
3
4
5
F
Iowa
25
26
21
25
6
2
Air Force
20
28
25
20
15
3
Balanced Attack Leads Air Force over Iowa
9/17/2021 10:45:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
The Falcons saw 11 different players score during tonight's thrilling five-set victory.
USAF ACADEMY, Colo. – Backed by a balanced, well-rounded team effort, Air Force Volleyball captured a thrilling five-set victory over Iowa this evening (Sept. 17), during the squad's opening contest of the Mile High Invitational. Ten different Falcons registered kills during the 20-25, 28-26, 25-21, 20-25, 15-6 win at Cadet East Gym, while eight contributed to the team's season-high blocking performance.
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Senior Bailey Keith led the Falcons' offensive production, as she accounted for a season-high 16 kills on .448 hitting (16-3-29). Sophomore Savannah Neal (11) and freshman Ella Tschuor (10) both had their first double-digit kill performances at the collegiate level, while sophomore Joi Harvey hit at a .412 clip (7-0-17) to help Air Force to a season-best .285 team performance (65-20-158) – an average 81 points higher than their previous best. Senior Lily Landis assisted on 26 of the team's season-best 65 kills, while sophomore Caroline Reinkensmeyer added 20 helpers and was one of three Falcons to record a pair of service aces (sophomore Madison Felker, freshman Mac Russ).
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Russ also led the Falcons' presence at the net, recording eight blocks (all assisted) and helping the team to a season-high 14.0 blocks – a six-block advantage over a much-taller Iowa squad (14-8). Keith (one solo, four assisted) and Harvey (one solo, three assisted) both tallied at least four stops, while Neal and senior Vittoria Juarez also recorded multiple blocks. In addition to their blocking numbers, the quartet also helped the Falcons to a season-high 64 digs. Sophomore Allie Griffith led all players with 18, while Juarez (11) and Felker (10) produced career-best, double-digit totals.
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Iowa tallied the first five points of the match, but Air Force came right back to tie the set at seven. Keith opened the Falcons' 7-2 run with a kill, while Juarez (kill), Landis (ace) and Russ (kill) also tallied points for Air Force in that stretch. Another strike from Russ kept the score tied (eight), while a kill from Neal and a block from Keith and junior Taleah Cooper on-back-to-back plays gave Air Force its first lead of the set at 10-9. Tschuor put down a kill to keep the Falcons' one-point advantage (12-11), but the Hawkeyes responded with a 4-1 run to take a two-point advantage (13-15). A kill from Juarez evened the score two plays later, but another run by Iowa pushed the Hawkeyes' lead out to five (17-21). Cooper (two) and Keith added kills, but Iowa claimed the opening set by a 25-20 margin.
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Harvey tallied a kill and assisted on a block to open the second set (2-1), while strikes from Keith, Russ, Juarez (two) and Neal led Air Force to an early 7-5 lead. Iowa responded with five of the next six points to go up two, before a Harvey/Tschuor block and a Reinkensmeyer kill brought Air Force back within one (10-11). Â Another five-point run by the Hawkeyes put the Falcons in a six-point hole (10-16), while two shorter streaks kept Air Force in that deficit (12-18, 14-20). A successful challenge from head coach Keith Barnett that awarded Tschuor with a kill sent Russ to the line and sparked a 6-0 run that tied the set at 20. Tschuor registered another kill during that stretch, while Neal tallied a pair of scores and Russ earned her second ace in as many matches. Back-and-forth action ensued, with Tschuor (21) and Keith (22) accounting for set-tying kills. A service ace from Felker gave Air Force a 23-22 lead on the next play and Iowa played catch-up with four set-tying points of their own. Tschuor put down a kill to break a tie at 26-all, while Harvey registered the final point to give Air Force the thrilling 28-26 victory.
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A pair of strikes from Keith and a Russ/Juarez block helped Air Force jump out to a quick 4-1 lead to start the third, while another strike from Neal pushed the Falcons' lead to four (6-2). Following a short run by the Hawkeyes, Tschuor (8-5), Harvey (9-6) and Keith (10-7) put down kills to regain three-point margins for Air Force. Felker served up an ace on the ensuing play, while back-to-back points from Keith (kill, block with Russ) extended the Falcons' lead to five (13-8). Iowa scored the next four points to pull within one (13-12), but multiple kills from both Russ and Neal put the Falcons' advantage back to five (18-13). The Hawkeyes again pulled within one (18-17), before Tschuor broke the up the run with a kill. Keith tallied three kills to put the Falcons at set-point and an errant Iowa serve gave Air Force the 25-21 win.
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Russ tallied a kill and teamed up with Juarez for another block in the opening minutes of the fourth set, while a strike from Harvey and an ace from Reinkensmeyer evened the score at six. Iowa used an 8-3 run to take a four-point lead (10-14), before a Juarez kill and Russ/Tschuor block on back-to-back plays brought Air Force within two (12-14). The Hawkeyes increased their lead to six (14-20), before Keith and Harvey combined for three-straight points (Keith kill, Keith/Harvey block, Harvey block) to halt the visitors' run. Keith added two more kills and Russ tallied a block with junior BrookeLyn Messenger, but Iowa claimed the 25-20 win to even the match at two and send the competition to a deciding set.
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Tschuor struck first in the final set, while another ace from Reinkensmeyer helped Air Force take an early 3-1 lead. A kill from Keith sent Landis back to the line and the senior served the Falcons to a six-point advantage (9-3), behind assistance from Russ (kill, assisted block), Neal (assisted block) and Messenger (kill). Another stop from Russ (Tschuor assist) and a second kill from Messenger pushed the Falcons' lead to seven (11-4), while a pair of Neal kills that book-ended a second Russ ace extended their advantage to nine (14-5). Air Force earned its final point from Tschuor, who put down a kill to give Air Force the dominating 15-6 win and its second-straight win over a team from the Big 10 (Maryland, 2018).
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Air Force closes out non-conference action tomorrow (Sept. 17), when it hosts Incarnate Word at noon.
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Senior Bailey Keith led the Falcons' offensive production, as she accounted for a season-high 16 kills on .448 hitting (16-3-29). Sophomore Savannah Neal (11) and freshman Ella Tschuor (10) both had their first double-digit kill performances at the collegiate level, while sophomore Joi Harvey hit at a .412 clip (7-0-17) to help Air Force to a season-best .285 team performance (65-20-158) – an average 81 points higher than their previous best. Senior Lily Landis assisted on 26 of the team's season-best 65 kills, while sophomore Caroline Reinkensmeyer added 20 helpers and was one of three Falcons to record a pair of service aces (sophomore Madison Felker, freshman Mac Russ).
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Russ also led the Falcons' presence at the net, recording eight blocks (all assisted) and helping the team to a season-high 14.0 blocks – a six-block advantage over a much-taller Iowa squad (14-8). Keith (one solo, four assisted) and Harvey (one solo, three assisted) both tallied at least four stops, while Neal and senior Vittoria Juarez also recorded multiple blocks. In addition to their blocking numbers, the quartet also helped the Falcons to a season-high 64 digs. Sophomore Allie Griffith led all players with 18, while Juarez (11) and Felker (10) produced career-best, double-digit totals.
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Iowa tallied the first five points of the match, but Air Force came right back to tie the set at seven. Keith opened the Falcons' 7-2 run with a kill, while Juarez (kill), Landis (ace) and Russ (kill) also tallied points for Air Force in that stretch. Another strike from Russ kept the score tied (eight), while a kill from Neal and a block from Keith and junior Taleah Cooper on-back-to-back plays gave Air Force its first lead of the set at 10-9. Tschuor put down a kill to keep the Falcons' one-point advantage (12-11), but the Hawkeyes responded with a 4-1 run to take a two-point advantage (13-15). A kill from Juarez evened the score two plays later, but another run by Iowa pushed the Hawkeyes' lead out to five (17-21). Cooper (two) and Keith added kills, but Iowa claimed the opening set by a 25-20 margin.
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Harvey tallied a kill and assisted on a block to open the second set (2-1), while strikes from Keith, Russ, Juarez (two) and Neal led Air Force to an early 7-5 lead. Iowa responded with five of the next six points to go up two, before a Harvey/Tschuor block and a Reinkensmeyer kill brought Air Force back within one (10-11). Â Another five-point run by the Hawkeyes put the Falcons in a six-point hole (10-16), while two shorter streaks kept Air Force in that deficit (12-18, 14-20). A successful challenge from head coach Keith Barnett that awarded Tschuor with a kill sent Russ to the line and sparked a 6-0 run that tied the set at 20. Tschuor registered another kill during that stretch, while Neal tallied a pair of scores and Russ earned her second ace in as many matches. Back-and-forth action ensued, with Tschuor (21) and Keith (22) accounting for set-tying kills. A service ace from Felker gave Air Force a 23-22 lead on the next play and Iowa played catch-up with four set-tying points of their own. Tschuor put down a kill to break a tie at 26-all, while Harvey registered the final point to give Air Force the thrilling 28-26 victory.
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A pair of strikes from Keith and a Russ/Juarez block helped Air Force jump out to a quick 4-1 lead to start the third, while another strike from Neal pushed the Falcons' lead to four (6-2). Following a short run by the Hawkeyes, Tschuor (8-5), Harvey (9-6) and Keith (10-7) put down kills to regain three-point margins for Air Force. Felker served up an ace on the ensuing play, while back-to-back points from Keith (kill, block with Russ) extended the Falcons' lead to five (13-8). Iowa scored the next four points to pull within one (13-12), but multiple kills from both Russ and Neal put the Falcons' advantage back to five (18-13). The Hawkeyes again pulled within one (18-17), before Tschuor broke the up the run with a kill. Keith tallied three kills to put the Falcons at set-point and an errant Iowa serve gave Air Force the 25-21 win.
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Russ tallied a kill and teamed up with Juarez for another block in the opening minutes of the fourth set, while a strike from Harvey and an ace from Reinkensmeyer evened the score at six. Iowa used an 8-3 run to take a four-point lead (10-14), before a Juarez kill and Russ/Tschuor block on back-to-back plays brought Air Force within two (12-14). The Hawkeyes increased their lead to six (14-20), before Keith and Harvey combined for three-straight points (Keith kill, Keith/Harvey block, Harvey block) to halt the visitors' run. Keith added two more kills and Russ tallied a block with junior BrookeLyn Messenger, but Iowa claimed the 25-20 win to even the match at two and send the competition to a deciding set.
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Tschuor struck first in the final set, while another ace from Reinkensmeyer helped Air Force take an early 3-1 lead. A kill from Keith sent Landis back to the line and the senior served the Falcons to a six-point advantage (9-3), behind assistance from Russ (kill, assisted block), Neal (assisted block) and Messenger (kill). Another stop from Russ (Tschuor assist) and a second kill from Messenger pushed the Falcons' lead to seven (11-4), while a pair of Neal kills that book-ended a second Russ ace extended their advantage to nine (14-5). Air Force earned its final point from Tschuor, who put down a kill to give Air Force the dominating 15-6 win and its second-straight win over a team from the Big 10 (Maryland, 2018).
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Air Force closes out non-conference action tomorrow (Sept. 17), when it hosts Incarnate Word at noon.
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Team Stats
Iowa
USAFA
Kills
66
65
Errors
27
20
Attempts
162
158
Hitting %
.241
.285
Points
82
86
Assists
63
59
Aces
8
7
Blocks
8
14
Game Leaders
Kills
16
Aces
0
Blocks
5
Kills
11
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
10
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
DS/L
/ Women's Volleyball
DS/L
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's VolleyballS/OPP
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's VolleyballOH
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