Saturday, September 4
Spokane, WA
7:00 pm MT
Air Force Academy
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Gonzaga
3-2,0-0WCC
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Air Force
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Gonzaga
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Photo by: Trevor Cokley
Falcons Drop 3-1 Decision to Gonzaga
9/4/2021 11:53:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Mac Russ represented the Academy on the all-tournament team.
SPOKANE, Wash. – The Air Force volleyball team closed out the Gonzaga Invitational with a 17-25, 24-26, 25-22, 19-25 loss to the host Bulldogs this evening (Sept. 4) in Spokane.
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Senior Bailey Keith led the Falcons with 10 kills, while freshman Mac Russ added eight scores on match-high .375 hitting (8-2-16). Russ also tied for the team lead in blocks, as she and sophomore Joi Harvey each registered a solo and assisted stop. Junior BrookeLyn Messenger tallied a pair of service aces, while sophomore Caroline Reinkensmeyer tallied her third 20-assist match of the year (20) and tied with classmate Allie Griffith for the team lead in digs (eight).
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Freshman Ella Tschuor registered the Falcons' first point of the match and added another score to help Air Force pull within one at the early 3-4 mark. The Falcons received kills from junior Taleah Cooper, Keith and Russ, but Gonzaga used a 6-2 run to take a six-point lead at the 13-7 mark and, although an ace from junior Sarah Markwardt capped a three-point run by the Falcons (12-17) that included strikes from Cooper and Keith, the Bulldogs claimed the 25-17 win.
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Kills from Keith and Russ tied the second set at two, while a strike by Markwardt evened the score at four. The Falcons responded to a three-point run by the Bulldogs with three straight points of their own, including a kill from Keith and an ace from sophomore Maddie Felker to tie the set at seven, while a strike from sophomore Savannah Neal tied gave Air Force its first lead of the match (9-8). The Falcons extended their advantage to two (10-8), but Gonzaga scored the next five points before junior BrookeLyn Messenger stopped the run with a kill (11-13). Air Force pulled within one following kills from Cooper and Keith (13-14) and again following a strike from Markwardt (14-15). Air Force benefitted from three Gonzaga errors to tie the set at 19, while a kill from Messenger evened the set at 20. The teams traded another pair of three-point runs, as Russ set down a kill to help Air Force tie the set again at 23 and, despite a kill from Harvey, Gonzaga claimed the 26-24 win.
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Reinkensmeyer opened the third set with an ace, while a block from Russ and a kill from Keith helped Air Force take a 5-2 lead. The Bulldogs scored the next four points, but kills from Russ tie the set at seven and gave Air Force the lead at 8-7 and again at 9-8. Scores from Messenger and Harvey pushed the Falcons' lead to two (11-9), while a kill from Markwardt and back-to-back service aces from Messenger extended the advantage to three (14-11). Keith put down a kill to maintain a three-point lead (16-13), while a strike from Russ broke a tie at 17-all. Harvey put down three kills during a 5-0 run that pushed Air Force's lead to 23-19, while a strike from Markwardt held off a late Gonzaga run (24-22) and a block from Harvey gave Air Force the 25-22 victory.
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A Messenger kill broke up a 4-1 start by the Bulldogs, but Air Force quickly came back and tied the set at five off of a Keith kill. The Falcons kept the score even following kills from Neal (seven) and Harvey (eight), but Gonzaga scored the next three points to take a 13-10 lead. Markwardt, Keith and Russ put down kills to keep Air Force close (13-15), while a Tschuor/Russ block broke up a 5-1 run by the Bulldogs that put the home team up six (14-20). The teams traded the next several points, with Air Force earning its points off of kills from Tschuor, Messenger and Markwardt. Keith put down a kill and teamed up with Harvey for a block to pull Air Force within four (19-23), but Gonzaga scored the final two points for the 25-19 win.
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Air Force returns to Colorado next week to co-host the Thin Air Challenge with Denver. The Falcons and Pioneers kick off the tournament against one another at Hamilton Gym on Thursday, Sept. 9, before Air Force welcomes Idaho and Cal State Fullerton to Cadet East Gym to begin the home portion of its 2021 schedule on Sept. 10 and Sept. 11, respectively.
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Senior Bailey Keith led the Falcons with 10 kills, while freshman Mac Russ added eight scores on match-high .375 hitting (8-2-16). Russ also tied for the team lead in blocks, as she and sophomore Joi Harvey each registered a solo and assisted stop. Junior BrookeLyn Messenger tallied a pair of service aces, while sophomore Caroline Reinkensmeyer tallied her third 20-assist match of the year (20) and tied with classmate Allie Griffith for the team lead in digs (eight).
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Freshman Ella Tschuor registered the Falcons' first point of the match and added another score to help Air Force pull within one at the early 3-4 mark. The Falcons received kills from junior Taleah Cooper, Keith and Russ, but Gonzaga used a 6-2 run to take a six-point lead at the 13-7 mark and, although an ace from junior Sarah Markwardt capped a three-point run by the Falcons (12-17) that included strikes from Cooper and Keith, the Bulldogs claimed the 25-17 win.
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Kills from Keith and Russ tied the second set at two, while a strike by Markwardt evened the score at four. The Falcons responded to a three-point run by the Bulldogs with three straight points of their own, including a kill from Keith and an ace from sophomore Maddie Felker to tie the set at seven, while a strike from sophomore Savannah Neal tied gave Air Force its first lead of the match (9-8). The Falcons extended their advantage to two (10-8), but Gonzaga scored the next five points before junior BrookeLyn Messenger stopped the run with a kill (11-13). Air Force pulled within one following kills from Cooper and Keith (13-14) and again following a strike from Markwardt (14-15). Air Force benefitted from three Gonzaga errors to tie the set at 19, while a kill from Messenger evened the set at 20. The teams traded another pair of three-point runs, as Russ set down a kill to help Air Force tie the set again at 23 and, despite a kill from Harvey, Gonzaga claimed the 26-24 win.
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Reinkensmeyer opened the third set with an ace, while a block from Russ and a kill from Keith helped Air Force take a 5-2 lead. The Bulldogs scored the next four points, but kills from Russ tie the set at seven and gave Air Force the lead at 8-7 and again at 9-8. Scores from Messenger and Harvey pushed the Falcons' lead to two (11-9), while a kill from Markwardt and back-to-back service aces from Messenger extended the advantage to three (14-11). Keith put down a kill to maintain a three-point lead (16-13), while a strike from Russ broke a tie at 17-all. Harvey put down three kills during a 5-0 run that pushed Air Force's lead to 23-19, while a strike from Markwardt held off a late Gonzaga run (24-22) and a block from Harvey gave Air Force the 25-22 victory.
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A Messenger kill broke up a 4-1 start by the Bulldogs, but Air Force quickly came back and tied the set at five off of a Keith kill. The Falcons kept the score even following kills from Neal (seven) and Harvey (eight), but Gonzaga scored the next three points to take a 13-10 lead. Markwardt, Keith and Russ put down kills to keep Air Force close (13-15), while a Tschuor/Russ block broke up a 5-1 run by the Bulldogs that put the home team up six (14-20). The teams traded the next several points, with Air Force earning its points off of kills from Tschuor, Messenger and Markwardt. Keith put down a kill and teamed up with Harvey for a block to pull Air Force within four (19-23), but Gonzaga scored the final two points for the 25-19 win.
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Air Force returns to Colorado next week to co-host the Thin Air Challenge with Denver. The Falcons and Pioneers kick off the tournament against one another at Hamilton Gym on Thursday, Sept. 9, before Air Force welcomes Idaho and Cal State Fullerton to Cadet East Gym to begin the home portion of its 2021 schedule on Sept. 10 and Sept. 11, respectively.
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Team Stats
USAFA
Gonz
Kills
46
45
Errors
23
17
Attempts
120
116
Hitting %
.192
.241
Points
55
64
Assists
44
41
Aces
5
9
Blocks
4
10
Game Leaders
Kills
10
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
6
Aces
1
Blocks
0
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
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S/OPP
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
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