Saturday, September 3
Kingston, RI
5:00 pm MT
Air Force Academy
6-0
3
at
0
Rhode Island
1-5
1
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3
F
Air Force
25
25
25
3
Rhode Island
16
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16
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Photo by: Josh Armstrong
Falcons Improve to 6-0 with Win Over Rhody
9/3/2022 9:31:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
With six wins in as many matches, Air Force is off to its best start at the Division I level.
KINGSTON, R.I. – The Air Force volleyball team swept Rhode Island in straight 25-16, 25-18, 25-16 sets this evening (Sept 3) to improve to 6-0 on the year. The Falcons, who captured their second true road win of the day, are having Air Force's best start to a season at the DI level, while also matching their longest DI win streak.
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Junior Joi Harvey accounted for a match-high 10 kills on .667 hitting (10-0-15), while assisting on four blocks, while junior Caroline Reinkensmeyer served up four of the team's season-high 12 aces and posted a team-high 17 assists. Senior Sarah Markwardt, one of three Falcons to notch a pair of aces on the night, rounded out the team leaders after tallying a match-high nine digs.
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The squads, both coming off wins earlier in the day, traded swings to open the match. Harvey accounted for half of the Falcons' points, en route to a five-all tie, as she accounted for a pair of kills and teamed up with Markwardt on a block. Rhode Island took a narrow 7-6 lead, but Air Force responded with 13 of the next 15 points – a run that included five aces (two by Markwardt, three-straight by Reinkensmeyer). Harvey put down a kill and teamed up with sophomore Ella Tschuor for a block to push the Falcons' advantage to 12 (22-10). Tschuor, Harvey and Markwardt added scores as Air Force rolled to a 25-16 win.
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Air Force took an early 5-1 lead in the second set, thanks to an ace from sophomore Murphy Riggs and kills from Tschuor, Markwardt and Harvey. The Rams pulled within one (5-4) but kills from junior Aaryn Scires and sophomore Mac Russ helped Air Force regain a four-point lead at 8-4. Rhody again pulled within one (8-7) – and the Falcons again responded with strikes from Scires, Russ and Tschuor to take a three-point advantage (11-8). Air Force scored six of the next eight points during a run that included an ace from sophomore Ellie Eichhorn, a block from Scires and Russ, and kills from senior BrookeLyn Messenger, Markwardt and Tschuor. A pair of kills from Scires bookended a strike from Messenger, while a Tschuor/Harvey block and Messenger kill secured the Falcons' 25-18 win.
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Reinkensmeyer opened the third set with an ace, while three kills from Harvey helped Air Force take a 5-1 lead. Rhody pulled within one (5-4) and Air Force responded with the next three points – including a Markwardt kill and Scires/Harvey block – to reestablish a four-point lead (8-4). Eichhorn added another ace, but the Rams tied the set at 11. Russ put down a kill to halt their run on the next play and spark a 7-1 run that include three points from Tschuor (two kills, assisted block with Russ) and a service ace by Scires. A kill from Harvey kicked off a six-point run by the Falcons that included the first collegiate kill for freshman Alex Hatchett and a pair of service aces from junior Madison Felker. Rhody held Air Force at match-point for three plays, but Markwardt put down the final kill for the 25-16 victory.
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After spending the weekend on the East Coast, Air Force will cross the country next week (Sept. 9-10) to face Idaho State, UC Riverside and Cal Baptist at the UCR/CBU Invitational in Riverside, California.
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Junior Joi Harvey accounted for a match-high 10 kills on .667 hitting (10-0-15), while assisting on four blocks, while junior Caroline Reinkensmeyer served up four of the team's season-high 12 aces and posted a team-high 17 assists. Senior Sarah Markwardt, one of three Falcons to notch a pair of aces on the night, rounded out the team leaders after tallying a match-high nine digs.
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The squads, both coming off wins earlier in the day, traded swings to open the match. Harvey accounted for half of the Falcons' points, en route to a five-all tie, as she accounted for a pair of kills and teamed up with Markwardt on a block. Rhode Island took a narrow 7-6 lead, but Air Force responded with 13 of the next 15 points – a run that included five aces (two by Markwardt, three-straight by Reinkensmeyer). Harvey put down a kill and teamed up with sophomore Ella Tschuor for a block to push the Falcons' advantage to 12 (22-10). Tschuor, Harvey and Markwardt added scores as Air Force rolled to a 25-16 win.
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Air Force took an early 5-1 lead in the second set, thanks to an ace from sophomore Murphy Riggs and kills from Tschuor, Markwardt and Harvey. The Rams pulled within one (5-4) but kills from junior Aaryn Scires and sophomore Mac Russ helped Air Force regain a four-point lead at 8-4. Rhody again pulled within one (8-7) – and the Falcons again responded with strikes from Scires, Russ and Tschuor to take a three-point advantage (11-8). Air Force scored six of the next eight points during a run that included an ace from sophomore Ellie Eichhorn, a block from Scires and Russ, and kills from senior BrookeLyn Messenger, Markwardt and Tschuor. A pair of kills from Scires bookended a strike from Messenger, while a Tschuor/Harvey block and Messenger kill secured the Falcons' 25-18 win.
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Reinkensmeyer opened the third set with an ace, while three kills from Harvey helped Air Force take a 5-1 lead. Rhody pulled within one (5-4) and Air Force responded with the next three points – including a Markwardt kill and Scires/Harvey block – to reestablish a four-point lead (8-4). Eichhorn added another ace, but the Rams tied the set at 11. Russ put down a kill to halt their run on the next play and spark a 7-1 run that include three points from Tschuor (two kills, assisted block with Russ) and a service ace by Scires. A kill from Harvey kicked off a six-point run by the Falcons that included the first collegiate kill for freshman Alex Hatchett and a pair of service aces from junior Madison Felker. Rhody held Air Force at match-point for three plays, but Markwardt put down the final kill for the 25-16 victory.
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After spending the weekend on the East Coast, Air Force will cross the country next week (Sept. 9-10) to face Idaho State, UC Riverside and Cal Baptist at the UCR/CBU Invitational in Riverside, California.
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Team Stats
AF
URI
Kills
36
25
Errors
12
20
Attempts
81
83
Hitting %
.296
.060
Points
55.0
35.0
Assists
30
25
Aces
12
4
Blocks
7.0
6.0
Game Leaders
Kills
10
Aces
0
Blocks
4
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
5
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
5
Aces
1
Blocks
2
Players Mentioned
S
/ Women's Volleyball
DS/L
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
MB/OPP
/ 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
OH
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