Tuesday, September 21
Albuquerque, NM
6:00 pm MT
Air Force Academy
3-8,0-1Mountain West
0
at
3
New Mexico
10-2,1-0Mountain West
1
2
3
F
Air Force
20
16
17
0
New Mexico
25
25
25
3
Photo by: Sarah Goldblum
Air Force Falls to New Mexico in MW Opener
9/21/2021 8:51:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Backed by two solo stops, Joi Harvey accounted for a match-high five blocks.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The Air Force volleyball team dropped a 3-0 decision to New Mexico this evening (Sept. 21), as it opened Mountain West play in Albuquerque. Attacking woes doomed the Falcons, who were held to a season-low .083 production and outhit by nearly 250 points (.326) during the 25-20, 25-16, 25-17 loss at Johnson Gym.
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Freshman Mac Russ led the Falcons with seven kills and .375 hitting (7-1-16), while senior Bailey Keith and sophomore Joi Harvey each added six scores. Harvey also tied for the match lead with five blocks (two solo, three assisted), while classmates Caroline Reinkensmeyer and Allie Griffith rounded out the team's list of statistical leaders with 11 tallies in assists and digs, respectively.
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Keith registered the Falcons' first offensive point of the contest, when she put down a kill at the 3-4 mark, but the Lobos scored seven of the next eight points to take an 11-4 advantage. A block from Harvey and freshman Ella Tschuor halted the run, while back-to-back scores from Harvey and sophomore Savannah Neal, pulled the Falcons within four (8-12). New Mexico pushed its lead back to eight at the 18-10 mark, despite a pair of strikes from Russ. Although the Lobos captured the opening set by a 25-20 margin, Harvey took control of the final minutes, single-handedly outscoring the Lobos 5-3 behind two solo blocks, two kills and an assisted stop (junior BrookeLyn Messenger).
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The Lobos opened with quick 3-1 lead for the second time in as many sets, but Keith again responded with the Falcons' first offensive point (2-3). The Falcons added kills from Russ, Neal and Tschuor, while another strike from Keith helped bring the Falcons within two at the 9-11 mark. Markwardt added a kill to keep the deficit at two (10-12), while Russ had a hand in the Falcons' next three points (block with junior Sarah Markwardt at 11-14, kill at 12-15, kill at 13-18). The Lobos claimed the next five scores to take a 10-point lead, before Harvey stopped the run with a kill and assisted block (Keith). Air Force added one more point, but New Mexico took the second set by the 25-16 score.
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Air Force jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the third set, but New Mexico scored eight of the next nine points to double up the Falcons by an 8-4 margin. Keith stopped the run with a kill and added another strike during a 3-0 run that included scores from Russ and sophomore Aaryn Scires to bring the Falcons within two (8-10). The latter added another pair of kills, but New Mexico used a 5-1 run to push its advantage out to seven (20-13). Russ and Keith registered kills and the Falcons benefitted from a pair of UNM serving errors, but the Lobos completed the sweep with the 25-17 win.
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The Falcons return to the Academy on Saturday (Sept. 25) when they host Fresno State at noon.
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Freshman Mac Russ led the Falcons with seven kills and .375 hitting (7-1-16), while senior Bailey Keith and sophomore Joi Harvey each added six scores. Harvey also tied for the match lead with five blocks (two solo, three assisted), while classmates Caroline Reinkensmeyer and Allie Griffith rounded out the team's list of statistical leaders with 11 tallies in assists and digs, respectively.
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Keith registered the Falcons' first offensive point of the contest, when she put down a kill at the 3-4 mark, but the Lobos scored seven of the next eight points to take an 11-4 advantage. A block from Harvey and freshman Ella Tschuor halted the run, while back-to-back scores from Harvey and sophomore Savannah Neal, pulled the Falcons within four (8-12). New Mexico pushed its lead back to eight at the 18-10 mark, despite a pair of strikes from Russ. Although the Lobos captured the opening set by a 25-20 margin, Harvey took control of the final minutes, single-handedly outscoring the Lobos 5-3 behind two solo blocks, two kills and an assisted stop (junior BrookeLyn Messenger).
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The Lobos opened with quick 3-1 lead for the second time in as many sets, but Keith again responded with the Falcons' first offensive point (2-3). The Falcons added kills from Russ, Neal and Tschuor, while another strike from Keith helped bring the Falcons within two at the 9-11 mark. Markwardt added a kill to keep the deficit at two (10-12), while Russ had a hand in the Falcons' next three points (block with junior Sarah Markwardt at 11-14, kill at 12-15, kill at 13-18). The Lobos claimed the next five scores to take a 10-point lead, before Harvey stopped the run with a kill and assisted block (Keith). Air Force added one more point, but New Mexico took the second set by the 25-16 score.
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Air Force jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the third set, but New Mexico scored eight of the next nine points to double up the Falcons by an 8-4 margin. Keith stopped the run with a kill and added another strike during a 3-0 run that included scores from Russ and sophomore Aaryn Scires to bring the Falcons within two (8-10). The latter added another pair of kills, but New Mexico used a 5-1 run to push its advantage out to seven (20-13). Russ and Keith registered kills and the Falcons benefitted from a pair of UNM serving errors, but the Lobos completed the sweep with the 25-17 win.
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The Falcons return to the Academy on Saturday (Sept. 25) when they host Fresno State at noon.
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Team Stats
USAFA
UNM
Kills
28
39
Errors
21
11
Attempts
84
86
Hitting %
.083
.326
Points
34
50
Assists
28
33
Aces
0
4
Blocks
6
7
Game Leaders
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
5
Kills
3
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Players Mentioned
DS/L
/ Women's VolleyballMB
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
S/OPP
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
MB/OPP
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
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