Tuesday, November 1
USAFA
6:00 pm MT
Air Force Academy
12-13,4-9Mountain West
3
vs
2
New Mexico
14-9,5-8Mountain West
1
2
3
4
5
F
New Mexico
17
25
19
25
9
2
Air Force
25
17
25
18
15
3
Photo by: Trevor Cokley
Middles Lead Air Force in 3-2 Win Over Lobos
11/1/2022 9:35:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Joi Harvey and Mac Russ combined for 30 kills and 11 blocks during the five-set win.
USAF ACADEMY, Colo. – The Air Force volleyball team picked up its third-straight win – and fourth-straight home win – this evening (Nov. 1), as it claimed a five-set victory over New Mexico at Cadet East Gym. Backed by 30 kills and 11 blocks from the middle blocking duo of junior Joi Harvey and sophomore Mac Russ, the Falcons defeated the visiting Lobos 25-17, 17-25, 25-19, 18-25, 15-9 to improve to 4-1 in their last five contests.
With 15 kills each, Harvey and Russ combined for half of the team's 60 kills, with Russ setting a new career high during a match-best .275 performance (15-3-32). The pair also accounted for both solo blocks (one each) and half of the team's 18 assisted stops (six for Harvey, three for Russ). Most of their kills came off the hands of junior Caroline Reinkensmeyer, who tallied a match-best 45 assists, while adding 15 digs for the eighth double-double of her career. Freshman Jordan Suan led all players with a career – and team – leading 22 digs, while senior BrookeLyn Messenger accounted for half of the team's six service aces.
Air Force jumped out to a face 5-1 lead to start the match, with Russ accounting for three-straight points (back-to-back kills, solo block) during the run. Four consecutive scores from Harvey (two kills, two blocks with Messenger) pushed the Falcons' advantage out to eight (10-2), while Messenger tallied a kill and ace on back-to-back plays at the 13-6 mark. Senior Sarah Markwardt (kill, block with Russ) and freshman Savanah Johnson (two kills) accounted for four of the Falcons' next five points, while three more scores from Messenger (two kills, ace) secured the easy 25-17 win for the Falcons.
New Mexico used an early run in the second to take a fast 10-4 lead, with Russ (two kills) and Harvey (one kill) registering the Falcons' only offense. The teams traded the next eight points, with kills from Harvey, Markwardt, Russ and junior Aaryn Scires accounting for the Falcons' scores. The Lobos doubled up the Falcons at 16-8, while four points from Harvey (two kills, block with Messenger, block with Scires) quickly brought the Falcons within four (13-17). The junior added one more kill, while Russ and Johnson teamed up for a block, but New Mexico evened the set with its own 25-17 victory.
Kills from Scires and Markwardt helped Air Force with a quick 3-0 start to the third, while two more strikes from the junior helped Air Force maintain that advantage at the 7-4 mark. The Lobos tied the set at 10 – and again at 11 – but Air Force scored seven of the next eight points to push its lead to 18-12. Scires tallied a pair of scores during the run, putting down a kill and teaming up with Harvey for a block. The Falcons extended their lead to seven (22-15) following a pair of kills from Harvey, while strikes from Markwardt, Russ and Reinkensmeyer secured Air Force's 25-19 win.
Russ and Scires tallies kills (2-1) to start the fourth set, but the Lobos responded with five of next six points and, despite three kills from Harvey, took a 10-6 lead into an Air Force timeout. New Mexico pushed its lead to seven (14-7), before freshman Ashley Bible recorded a pair of kills that brought the Falcons' deficit to five (11-16). Harvey, Russ and sophomore Ella Tschuor (two) added kills and Reinkensmeyer served up an ace, but the Lobos evened the match again, this time by a 25-18 margin.
Multiple kills from both Russ and Reinkensmeyer helped Air Force tie the deciding set at five, while another ace from Messenger broke the tie on the next play. Bible put down a kill to give Air Force a two-point lead at the 7-5 mark, while Russ extended the Falcons' advantage to four following a kill and block with Bible (10-6). Reinkensmeyer dropped an serve right over the tape for her second ace of the night at the 12-7 mark, while kills from Scires and Russ gave Air Force the 15-9 set and 3-2 match.
The Falcons return to action on Thursday, Nov. 3, when they travel to Las Vegas for a 6:00 p.m. (PT) meeting with league-leading UNLV.
With 15 kills each, Harvey and Russ combined for half of the team's 60 kills, with Russ setting a new career high during a match-best .275 performance (15-3-32). The pair also accounted for both solo blocks (one each) and half of the team's 18 assisted stops (six for Harvey, three for Russ). Most of their kills came off the hands of junior Caroline Reinkensmeyer, who tallied a match-best 45 assists, while adding 15 digs for the eighth double-double of her career. Freshman Jordan Suan led all players with a career – and team – leading 22 digs, while senior BrookeLyn Messenger accounted for half of the team's six service aces.
Air Force jumped out to a face 5-1 lead to start the match, with Russ accounting for three-straight points (back-to-back kills, solo block) during the run. Four consecutive scores from Harvey (two kills, two blocks with Messenger) pushed the Falcons' advantage out to eight (10-2), while Messenger tallied a kill and ace on back-to-back plays at the 13-6 mark. Senior Sarah Markwardt (kill, block with Russ) and freshman Savanah Johnson (two kills) accounted for four of the Falcons' next five points, while three more scores from Messenger (two kills, ace) secured the easy 25-17 win for the Falcons.
New Mexico used an early run in the second to take a fast 10-4 lead, with Russ (two kills) and Harvey (one kill) registering the Falcons' only offense. The teams traded the next eight points, with kills from Harvey, Markwardt, Russ and junior Aaryn Scires accounting for the Falcons' scores. The Lobos doubled up the Falcons at 16-8, while four points from Harvey (two kills, block with Messenger, block with Scires) quickly brought the Falcons within four (13-17). The junior added one more kill, while Russ and Johnson teamed up for a block, but New Mexico evened the set with its own 25-17 victory.
Kills from Scires and Markwardt helped Air Force with a quick 3-0 start to the third, while two more strikes from the junior helped Air Force maintain that advantage at the 7-4 mark. The Lobos tied the set at 10 – and again at 11 – but Air Force scored seven of the next eight points to push its lead to 18-12. Scires tallied a pair of scores during the run, putting down a kill and teaming up with Harvey for a block. The Falcons extended their lead to seven (22-15) following a pair of kills from Harvey, while strikes from Markwardt, Russ and Reinkensmeyer secured Air Force's 25-19 win.
Russ and Scires tallies kills (2-1) to start the fourth set, but the Lobos responded with five of next six points and, despite three kills from Harvey, took a 10-6 lead into an Air Force timeout. New Mexico pushed its lead to seven (14-7), before freshman Ashley Bible recorded a pair of kills that brought the Falcons' deficit to five (11-16). Harvey, Russ and sophomore Ella Tschuor (two) added kills and Reinkensmeyer served up an ace, but the Lobos evened the match again, this time by a 25-18 margin.
Multiple kills from both Russ and Reinkensmeyer helped Air Force tie the deciding set at five, while another ace from Messenger broke the tie on the next play. Bible put down a kill to give Air Force a two-point lead at the 7-5 mark, while Russ extended the Falcons' advantage to four following a kill and block with Bible (10-6). Reinkensmeyer dropped an serve right over the tape for her second ace of the night at the 12-7 mark, while kills from Scires and Russ gave Air Force the 15-9 set and 3-2 match.
The Falcons return to action on Thursday, Nov. 3, when they travel to Las Vegas for a 6:00 p.m. (PT) meeting with league-leading UNLV.
Team Stats
UNM
USAFA
Kills
52
60
Errors
22
28
Attempts
155
169
Hitting %
.194
.189
Points
66
77
Assists
48
56
Aces
1
6
Blocks
13
11
Game Leaders
Kills
15
Aces
0
Blocks
7
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
6
Aces
1
Blocks
1
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