Thursday, September 15
USAFA
6:30 pm MT
Air Force Academy
7-3,0-0Mountain West
0
vs
3
Denver
4-5,0-0Summit League
1
2
3
F
Denver
25
25
25
3
Air Force
19
22
15
0
Photo by: Weber State Athletics
Falcons Falter Against Denver
9/15/2022 10:26:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Caroline Reinkensmeyer tallied half of the team's 26 assists and three of their four aces.
USAF ACADEMY, Colo. – Attacking woes cost the Air Force volleyball team on Thursday, Sept. 15, as it dropped a 3-0 match to I-25 rival Denver during the opening night of the Thin Air Challenge. The Falcons fell in straight 25-19, 25-22, 25-15 sets to their tournament co-hosts, who out-hit the Falcons by almost 200 points, in this year's matchup at the Academy.
Freshman Ashley Bible led the team with eight kills, while junior Caroline Reinkensmeyer tallied half of the team's 26 assists and three of their four service aces. Defensively, sophomore Murphy Riggs tied for the match high with nine digs, while juniors Joi Harvey and Savannah Neal each tallied two assisted blocks.
Bible and Harvey opened the scoring for the Falcons, while a block from Neal and sophomore Mac Russ, helped Air Force take an early 6-3 lead. Air Force, which earned a kill from sophomore Ellie Eichhorn at the 7-5 mark, maintained its advantage until the Pioneers tied the set nine. The teams traded the next several points, until Bible registered three kills during a 5-2 run by the Falcons that gave Air Force at 15-13 lead. Denver responded with 10 of the next 11 points, en route to the 25-19 victory.
Air Force jumped out to a quick 5-1 lead to open the second set – a run highlighted by a service ace from junior Amber Soto and kills from Neal and Harvey. The Falcons continued to lead behind a Reinkensmeyer ace (10-5), as well as three serving errors by the Pioneers (13-9). Denver pulled within one three plays later, but a Harvey/Neal block (14-12) and kills from Soto (15-13) and senior BrookeLyn Messenger (16-14) kept Air Force ahead by two. Once again, the Pioneers used a long run to take control of the set at the 22-18 mark. Bible and Harvey added kills, but Denver claimed the 25-22 win.
Reinkensmeyer kicked off the third set with back-to-back aces, but four-straight points by the Pioneers gave the visitors an early 5-3 lead. Bible stopped the run with a kill, while a kill from sophomore Ella Tschuor helped Air Force pull within one at the 11-12 mark. Russ and Bible added strikes, before the Pioneers used another run to turn a 13-11 advantage into a 22-14 lead and the eventual 25-15 win.
The Falcons return to Cadet East Gym tomorrow (Sept. 16) night, when they host UC San Diego at 6:00 p.m. (MT) for their second match of the Thin Air Challenge.
Freshman Ashley Bible led the team with eight kills, while junior Caroline Reinkensmeyer tallied half of the team's 26 assists and three of their four service aces. Defensively, sophomore Murphy Riggs tied for the match high with nine digs, while juniors Joi Harvey and Savannah Neal each tallied two assisted blocks.
Bible and Harvey opened the scoring for the Falcons, while a block from Neal and sophomore Mac Russ, helped Air Force take an early 6-3 lead. Air Force, which earned a kill from sophomore Ellie Eichhorn at the 7-5 mark, maintained its advantage until the Pioneers tied the set nine. The teams traded the next several points, until Bible registered three kills during a 5-2 run by the Falcons that gave Air Force at 15-13 lead. Denver responded with 10 of the next 11 points, en route to the 25-19 victory.
Air Force jumped out to a quick 5-1 lead to open the second set – a run highlighted by a service ace from junior Amber Soto and kills from Neal and Harvey. The Falcons continued to lead behind a Reinkensmeyer ace (10-5), as well as three serving errors by the Pioneers (13-9). Denver pulled within one three plays later, but a Harvey/Neal block (14-12) and kills from Soto (15-13) and senior BrookeLyn Messenger (16-14) kept Air Force ahead by two. Once again, the Pioneers used a long run to take control of the set at the 22-18 mark. Bible and Harvey added kills, but Denver claimed the 25-22 win.
Reinkensmeyer kicked off the third set with back-to-back aces, but four-straight points by the Pioneers gave the visitors an early 5-3 lead. Bible stopped the run with a kill, while a kill from sophomore Ella Tschuor helped Air Force pull within one at the 11-12 mark. Russ and Bible added strikes, before the Pioneers used another run to turn a 13-11 advantage into a 22-14 lead and the eventual 25-15 win.
The Falcons return to Cadet East Gym tomorrow (Sept. 16) night, when they host UC San Diego at 6:00 p.m. (MT) for their second match of the Thin Air Challenge.
Team Stats
Denver
USAFA
Kills
34
30
Errors
11
21
Attempts
79
92
Hitting %
.291
.098
Points
47
37
Assists
32
26
Aces
5
4
Blocks
8
3
Game Leaders
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
5
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
4
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Players Mentioned
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
S/OPP
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
DS/L
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
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