Saturday, November 12
Fort Collins, CO
12:00 pm MT
Air Force Academy
13-15,5-11Mountain West
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at
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Colorado State
18-9,11-5Mountain West
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2
3
4
F
Air Force
25
16
16
18
1
Colorado St.
16
25
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25
3
Photo by: Trevor Cokley
Falcons Fall to Colorado State
11/12/2022 5:19:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
BrookeLyn Messenger recorded a career-high - and match-leading - 18 kills against the Rams.
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Despite a career-high afternoon from senior BrookeLyn Messenger, the Air Force volleyball team dropped a four-set decision to Colorado State on Saturday (Nov. 12) in Fort Collins. Playing in their final road match of the regular season, the Falcons fell 25-16, 16-25, 16-25, 18-25 to the host Rams.
Messenger collected a career-best – and match high – 18 kills on the day, while committing just three errors on 40 swings for a .375 average. The senior added 16 digs and two service aces to lead the team in both categories and capture her eighth double-double of the year. Junior Joi Harvey added 10 kills on .381 hitting (10-2-21), while junior Caroline Reinkensmeyer recorded 40 assists and 10 digs for her 10th career double-double, and junior Mac Russ rounded out the Falcons' stat leaders with a pair of solo blocks.
Harvey opened the match with a kill following an impressive rally by both teams. The junior added another kill, while a strike from Messenger helped Air Force take an early 5-2 advantage. Kills from senior Sarah Markwardt bookended an ace from sophomore Murphy Riggs, as Air Force pushed its lead to four (10-6). The Falcons extended their lead to seven (16-9) following a 6-1 run that including a pair of kills from both Harvey and sophomore Ella Tschuor, as well as strikes from Messenger and Russ. Tschuor added another pair of kills, as Air Force reached the 20-point plateau up eight (20-12). Markwardt and Russ added kills, while a pair of strikes from Messenger secured a 25-16 victory for the Falcons.
The Rams jumped out to a quick 4-1 start in the second, before the teams traded the next eight points, with Messenger, Tschuor, Markwardt and Russ tallying the Falcons' points (5-7). Following back-to-back CSU points, the teams continued to trade scores, with kills from Messenger bookending a strike from Reinkensmeyer (8-11). Markwardt added a pair of kills, but the Rams extended their lead to 11 following seven-straight points (10-21). Sophomore Ellie Eichhorn and freshman Savanah Johnson added kills (12-22) and scores from Harvey (solo block) and Messenger (kill) held the Rams at set-point, but CSU took the game by a 25-16 margin.
Messenger struck first in the third, but the Rams scored the next four to send Air Force into an early timeout. CSU extended its lead to five (6-1) before Johnson put down a kill to stop their run. Air Force used a 5-2 run to pull within four (7-11) – a stretch that included a kill and block from Russ, as well as strikes from Tschuor, Markwardt and Johnson. A kill from Messenger put the Falcons in double figures (10-15), but – despite kills from Harvey, Eichhorn and Messenger, the Rams earned another 25-16 win.
Russ put down the opening point of the fourth set, while another kill from the sophomore, as well as strikes from Messenger (two) and Riggs helped Air Force even the set at six. Reinkensmeyer tied the set at seven, while kills from Markwardt (9-10) and Harvey (10-11) kept the Falcons within one. Colorado State strung together three-straight points to send Air Force into a timeout trailing 10-14. Messenger tallied the Falcons' next three points, while a kill from Johnson brought Air Force back within one (14-15). The Rams pulled ahead by five (19-14), before Messenger served up back-to-back aces to cut the deficit back to two (17-19). The senior added one more kill, but the Rams closed on a 6-1 run for the 25-18 win.
The Falcons cap the regular season next week, when they host a pair of conference foes at Cadet East Gym. Air Force will welcome Boise State to the Academy on Thursday, Nov. 17, before closing out the home season against Utah State on Saturday, Nov. 19.
Messenger collected a career-best – and match high – 18 kills on the day, while committing just three errors on 40 swings for a .375 average. The senior added 16 digs and two service aces to lead the team in both categories and capture her eighth double-double of the year. Junior Joi Harvey added 10 kills on .381 hitting (10-2-21), while junior Caroline Reinkensmeyer recorded 40 assists and 10 digs for her 10th career double-double, and junior Mac Russ rounded out the Falcons' stat leaders with a pair of solo blocks.
Harvey opened the match with a kill following an impressive rally by both teams. The junior added another kill, while a strike from Messenger helped Air Force take an early 5-2 advantage. Kills from senior Sarah Markwardt bookended an ace from sophomore Murphy Riggs, as Air Force pushed its lead to four (10-6). The Falcons extended their lead to seven (16-9) following a 6-1 run that including a pair of kills from both Harvey and sophomore Ella Tschuor, as well as strikes from Messenger and Russ. Tschuor added another pair of kills, as Air Force reached the 20-point plateau up eight (20-12). Markwardt and Russ added kills, while a pair of strikes from Messenger secured a 25-16 victory for the Falcons.
The Rams jumped out to a quick 4-1 start in the second, before the teams traded the next eight points, with Messenger, Tschuor, Markwardt and Russ tallying the Falcons' points (5-7). Following back-to-back CSU points, the teams continued to trade scores, with kills from Messenger bookending a strike from Reinkensmeyer (8-11). Markwardt added a pair of kills, but the Rams extended their lead to 11 following seven-straight points (10-21). Sophomore Ellie Eichhorn and freshman Savanah Johnson added kills (12-22) and scores from Harvey (solo block) and Messenger (kill) held the Rams at set-point, but CSU took the game by a 25-16 margin.
Messenger struck first in the third, but the Rams scored the next four to send Air Force into an early timeout. CSU extended its lead to five (6-1) before Johnson put down a kill to stop their run. Air Force used a 5-2 run to pull within four (7-11) – a stretch that included a kill and block from Russ, as well as strikes from Tschuor, Markwardt and Johnson. A kill from Messenger put the Falcons in double figures (10-15), but – despite kills from Harvey, Eichhorn and Messenger, the Rams earned another 25-16 win.
Russ put down the opening point of the fourth set, while another kill from the sophomore, as well as strikes from Messenger (two) and Riggs helped Air Force even the set at six. Reinkensmeyer tied the set at seven, while kills from Markwardt (9-10) and Harvey (10-11) kept the Falcons within one. Colorado State strung together three-straight points to send Air Force into a timeout trailing 10-14. Messenger tallied the Falcons' next three points, while a kill from Johnson brought Air Force back within one (14-15). The Rams pulled ahead by five (19-14), before Messenger served up back-to-back aces to cut the deficit back to two (17-19). The senior added one more kill, but the Rams closed on a 6-1 run for the 25-18 win.
The Falcons cap the regular season next week, when they host a pair of conference foes at Cadet East Gym. Air Force will welcome Boise State to the Academy on Thursday, Nov. 17, before closing out the home season against Utah State on Saturday, Nov. 19.
Team Stats
USAFA
CSU
Kills
57
55
Errors
16
10
Attempts
135
139
Hitting %
.304
.324
Points
63
64
Assists
56
51
Aces
3
4
Blocks
3
5
Game Leaders
Kills
18
Aces
2
Blocks
0
Kills
10
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Players Mentioned
S
/ Women's VolleyballMB
/ Women's Volleyball
RS
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
DS/L
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
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