Saturday, August 27
USAFA
12:30 pm MT
Air Force Academy
2-0,0-0Mountain West
3
vs
2
Cal State Northridge
0-2,0-0Big West
1
2
3
4
5
F
CSUN
16
25
24
25
10
2
Air Force
25
23
26
23
15
3
Blocking Powers Falcons in Win Over CSUN
8/27/2022 2:42:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Air Force out-blocked the Matadors 18-7 during the five-set victory.
USAF ACADEMY, Colo. – The Air Force volleyball team used a strong defense at the net to claim a five-set victory over CSUN this afternoon (Aug. 27), as it defeated the visiting Lions 25-16, 23-25, 26-24, 23-25, 15-10 to start the second day of competition at the Amy Svoboda Memorial Classic.
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Highlighted by seven solo stops, the Falcons accounted for 18.0 total blocks (seven solo, 22 assisted) – a mark just shy of the Cadet East Gym Record. Junior Joi Harvey led the Falcons with a career-high 11 stops, including a personal-best four solo blocks. In all, five Falcons accounted for at least four stops, as Air Force out-blocked the Matadors 18-7. Sophomore Mac Russ added six stops (two solo, four assisted), while senior BrookeLyn Messenger tallied five (one solo, four assisted), sophomore Ella Tschuor stopped four (all assisted) and junior Aaryn Scires registered three (all assisted).
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Harvey (15) and Messenger (12) also combined for nearly half of the team's 55 kills, while hitting over .300 on the day (.520 for Harvey, .391 for Messenger). Russ added nine strikes on .319 hitting, as the Falcons outhit CSUN by 100 points (279-179). Junior Caroline Reinkensmeyer, who led all players with 26 assists, and sophomore Murphy Riggs, who notched a team-high 11 digs, both tallied three service aces to lead the Falcons' 10 points from the serving line.
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The Matadors claimed the first two points of the match, but the Falcons put down a pair of blocks (Tschuor/Harvey assist, Harvey solo) during a four-point run that gave Air Force a 4-2 lead. A service ace by Riggs, as well as a kill by senior Sarah Markwardt, helped the Falcons extend their lead to five (8-3), while Russ scored on three-straight plays (kill, back-to-back blocks with Messenger) to double up CSUN at 12-6 and force the visitors into a timeout. Air Force continued to double the Matadors, as an ace (Markwardt), block (Russ/Scires) and two strikes from Messenger pushed the lead to 16-8. CSUN cut its deficit to four (17-13) before a kill from Harvey stopped the run and sparked a set-ending 8-3 Air Force run. Harvey (three) and Markwardt (two) both tallied multiple kills during the run, while Messenger added an ace, as Air Force took the opening set by a 25-16 margin.
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The Matadors again struck first again, but before the Falcons evened the set at two following kills from Tschuor and Harvey. The teams traded the next several serves, with Messenger and Tschuor providing set-tying kills. CSUN broke the back-and-forth play to take a 13-10 lead. Air Force evened the set at 16 and took the lead on the next play, following a pair of scores from Russ (two kills) and Tschuor (kill, block with Harvey), but the Matadors retook the lead over the next four points. Scires and Harvey teamed up for a block and each added a kill, but CSUN evened the match with the 25-23 win.
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An ace by Messenger capped a 4-1 start to the third set for Air Force, while Markwardt added a kill that pushed the Falcons' lead to four (6-2). Scires registered a pair of scores to keep the advantage at four (9-5), while a strike by Messenger helped Air Force double up the Matadors by six (12-6). CSU responded with six-straight points to tie the set at 12, before Russ put down a kill to halt the run. Harvey tied the set at 14 and added a second strike to keep Air Force within one (16-17), while back-to-back strikes from Scires maintained that margin at 18-19. A kill from Russ and a solo stop from Messenger tied the set at 20. The Matadors reached set point four scores later (24-20), but Air Force, backed by all three of Reinkensmeyer's aces, scored the final six points for the 26-24 victory.
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An ace from Riggs kicked off the fourth set, while a kill from Russ tied the set at four. CSUN scored five of the next seven points to take a 9-6 lead, before Harvey and Tschuor assisted on back-to-back blocks to even the set at nine. Harvey added another block, this time with Messenger (10-11), and tallied a kill to keep Air Force within one (11-12). Scires, Russ and Messenger added kills during a 3-1 run by the Falcons (14-15), but the Matadors began to pull away, scoring five of the next six points to take a 20-15 lead. Air Force responded with a 5-1 run of its own, behind a pair of blocks from Harvey (solo, assisted with Messenger), to cut its deficit back to one (20-21). Freshman Ashley Bible added a kill, but the Matadors claimed the 25-23 win to even the match at two sets apiece.
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Air Force came out strong in the deciding set, as a pair of kills from Harvey helped the Falcons take a 5-2 lead. A pair of strikes from Scires, as well as a service ace from sophomore Amber Soto, allowed Air Force to race out to a 10-3 advantage. The Matadors cut into the Falcons' lead, but a pair of Russ blocks allowed a kill from Harvey to secure the 15-10 Falcons' win.
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The Falcons return to Cadet East Gym this evening (Aug 27) to close out the Amy Svoboda Memorial Classic with a 7:00 p.m. (MT) meeting against Drake.
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Highlighted by seven solo stops, the Falcons accounted for 18.0 total blocks (seven solo, 22 assisted) – a mark just shy of the Cadet East Gym Record. Junior Joi Harvey led the Falcons with a career-high 11 stops, including a personal-best four solo blocks. In all, five Falcons accounted for at least four stops, as Air Force out-blocked the Matadors 18-7. Sophomore Mac Russ added six stops (two solo, four assisted), while senior BrookeLyn Messenger tallied five (one solo, four assisted), sophomore Ella Tschuor stopped four (all assisted) and junior Aaryn Scires registered three (all assisted).
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Harvey (15) and Messenger (12) also combined for nearly half of the team's 55 kills, while hitting over .300 on the day (.520 for Harvey, .391 for Messenger). Russ added nine strikes on .319 hitting, as the Falcons outhit CSUN by 100 points (279-179). Junior Caroline Reinkensmeyer, who led all players with 26 assists, and sophomore Murphy Riggs, who notched a team-high 11 digs, both tallied three service aces to lead the Falcons' 10 points from the serving line.
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The Matadors claimed the first two points of the match, but the Falcons put down a pair of blocks (Tschuor/Harvey assist, Harvey solo) during a four-point run that gave Air Force a 4-2 lead. A service ace by Riggs, as well as a kill by senior Sarah Markwardt, helped the Falcons extend their lead to five (8-3), while Russ scored on three-straight plays (kill, back-to-back blocks with Messenger) to double up CSUN at 12-6 and force the visitors into a timeout. Air Force continued to double the Matadors, as an ace (Markwardt), block (Russ/Scires) and two strikes from Messenger pushed the lead to 16-8. CSUN cut its deficit to four (17-13) before a kill from Harvey stopped the run and sparked a set-ending 8-3 Air Force run. Harvey (three) and Markwardt (two) both tallied multiple kills during the run, while Messenger added an ace, as Air Force took the opening set by a 25-16 margin.
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The Matadors again struck first again, but before the Falcons evened the set at two following kills from Tschuor and Harvey. The teams traded the next several serves, with Messenger and Tschuor providing set-tying kills. CSUN broke the back-and-forth play to take a 13-10 lead. Air Force evened the set at 16 and took the lead on the next play, following a pair of scores from Russ (two kills) and Tschuor (kill, block with Harvey), but the Matadors retook the lead over the next four points. Scires and Harvey teamed up for a block and each added a kill, but CSUN evened the match with the 25-23 win.
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An ace by Messenger capped a 4-1 start to the third set for Air Force, while Markwardt added a kill that pushed the Falcons' lead to four (6-2). Scires registered a pair of scores to keep the advantage at four (9-5), while a strike by Messenger helped Air Force double up the Matadors by six (12-6). CSU responded with six-straight points to tie the set at 12, before Russ put down a kill to halt the run. Harvey tied the set at 14 and added a second strike to keep Air Force within one (16-17), while back-to-back strikes from Scires maintained that margin at 18-19. A kill from Russ and a solo stop from Messenger tied the set at 20. The Matadors reached set point four scores later (24-20), but Air Force, backed by all three of Reinkensmeyer's aces, scored the final six points for the 26-24 victory.
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An ace from Riggs kicked off the fourth set, while a kill from Russ tied the set at four. CSUN scored five of the next seven points to take a 9-6 lead, before Harvey and Tschuor assisted on back-to-back blocks to even the set at nine. Harvey added another block, this time with Messenger (10-11), and tallied a kill to keep Air Force within one (11-12). Scires, Russ and Messenger added kills during a 3-1 run by the Falcons (14-15), but the Matadors began to pull away, scoring five of the next six points to take a 20-15 lead. Air Force responded with a 5-1 run of its own, behind a pair of blocks from Harvey (solo, assisted with Messenger), to cut its deficit back to one (20-21). Freshman Ashley Bible added a kill, but the Matadors claimed the 25-23 win to even the match at two sets apiece.
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Air Force came out strong in the deciding set, as a pair of kills from Harvey helped the Falcons take a 5-2 lead. A pair of strikes from Scires, as well as a service ace from sophomore Amber Soto, allowed Air Force to race out to a 10-3 advantage. The Matadors cut into the Falcons' lead, but a pair of Russ blocks allowed a kill from Harvey to secure the 15-10 Falcons' win.
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The Falcons return to Cadet East Gym this evening (Aug 27) to close out the Amy Svoboda Memorial Classic with a 7:00 p.m. (MT) meeting against Drake.
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Team Stats
CSUN
USAFA
Kills
57
55
Errors
31
19
Attempts
145
129
Hitting %
.179
.279
Points
70
83
Assists
49
53
Aces
6
10
Blocks
7
18
Game Leaders
Kills
15
Aces
0
Blocks
11
Kills
12
Aces
2
Blocks
5
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Players Mentioned
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
DS/L
/ Women's Volleyball
MB/OPP
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
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