Friday, September 9
Riverside, CA
11:30 am MT
Air Force Academy
vs
Idaho State
Photo by: Josh Armstrong
Air Force Heads to California for CBU Classic
9/7/2022 9:59:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
The Falcons are one of just 28 undefeated teams remaining at the NCAA Division I level.
The Air Force volleyball team, one of just 28 unbeaten teams in NCAA Division I, heads to California this weekend for the CBU Volleyball Classic in Riverside. The Falcons, currently 6-0 on the year, will face Idaho State and UC Riverside on Friday, Sept. 9, before facing tournament host Cal Baptist on Saturday, Sept. 10.
MATCH INFORMATION
The Falcons will face Idaho State, UC Riverside and Cal Baptist at Van Dyne Gymnasium on the Cal Baptist campus in Riverside over the Sept. 9-10 weekend. Live stats will be available for all three Air Force contests, while the Falcons' match against the host Lancers will be broadcast live on ESPN+ (direct links are below).
MATCH 7 | SEPT 9 | 10:30 AM PT
Air Force vs Idaho State
Riverside, Calif. | Van Dyne Gym
Watch Live (WAC Intl) | Live Stats
MATCH 8 | SEPT 9 | 5:30 PM PT
Air Force vs UC Riverside
Riverside, Calif. | Van Dyne Gym
Watch Live (WAC Intl) | Live Stats
MATCH 9 | SEPT 10 | 1:00 PM PT
Air Force at Cal Baptist
Riverside, Calif. | Van Dyne Gym
Watch Live (ESPN+) | Live Stats
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Idaho State is 4-3 on the year following a 3-1 loss to Boise State on Monday afternoon in Pocatello. Over the weekend, the Bengals went 2-1 at the Gonzaga Tournament, capturing victories over CSUN (3-0) and the host Bulldogs (3-2), while dropping a 1-3 decision to Nevada. UC Riverside and Cal Baptist both head into the weekend with 2-4 marks. The Highlanders went 1-2 at the Molly Howard Memorial Tournament in Houston last weekend, defeating Bethune-Cookman in five after falling to Houston Baptist (0-3) and Louisiana Monroe (1-3), while the Lancers earned that same record at the Washington State Tournament in Pullman, taking a 3-1 win over Belmont after falling to the host Cougars (0-3) and CSU Bakersfield (1-3).
BY THE NUMBERS
Air Force has never played Idaho State and has only faced Cal Baptist once – a 3-1 Air Force victory at the Academy in 2018. UC Riverside holds a 5-1 advantage over the Falcons in the all-time series, but Air Force is 1-0 against the Highlanders at the Division I level – a 3-0 home sweep in 2013.
STARTING OFF STRONG
At 6-0, Air Force is one of just 28 undefeated teams left in NCAA Division I … and there are 334 teams at the NCAA DI level.
JUMPING FOR JOI
Joi Harvey is currently ranked sixth in the NCAA with a 1.77 blocks-per-set average – the second-highest average by any player outside of the Power 5. Her 46 total blocks are the most in the NCAA by four, while her 39 assisted blocks are tied for the national lead with Maryland's Rainelle Jones.
MAKING HISTORY
With its 6-0 start to the season, Air Force is off to its best start ever at the Division I level – and its best overall start since 1994. Previously, the best six-match DI start had been 3-3 (2014, 2020). In addition, the six-straight season-opening victories are tied for the longest win streak at the DI level (2003).
AROUND THE CONFERENCE
Air Force currently leads the Mountain West in opponent hitting, as it has been holding its opponents to a league-low .139 average. As a team, the Falcons are also ranked second in aces (2.04) and blocks (2.85), while holding a top-five average in hitting (.244, fourth). Individually, Joi Harvey leads the conference in blocks (1.77) and is ranked second in hitting (.398), while BrookeLyn Messenger and Caroline Reinkensmeyer are tied for eighth in aces (0.46).
FALCONS WIN ANOTHER TOURNAMENT
Air Force picked up its second tournament title of the year on Sept. 3, as it claimed victories over Siena, Brown and Rhode Island to win the East Coast tournament co-hosted by the latter two teams. With a five-set thriller over Brown (the defending Ivy League champion and 2021 NCAA Tournament team) on Sept. 2 and a 3-0 sweep of Rhode Island on Sept. 3, the Falcons have claimed their first two true road victories since 2020.
MESSENGER NAMED TOURNAMENT MVP
BrookeLyn Messenger was named the Most Valuable Player of the Brown-Rhode Island Invitational on Sept 3 – the first Falcon to capture MVP honors since Elizabeth Pennington claimed the top honor of Louisiana's Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic in 2016. Messenger was joined on the all-tournament team by Joi Harvey and Ella Tschuor.
KEEPING IT CLOSE
Of the 26 sets Air Force has played during the first two weekends of the season, 20 have come during four matches and 11 have been decided by the two-point minimum, including 15-13 thrillers in the ASMC championship match with Drake and the comeback road victory at Brown.
WHAT'S ON DECK
After crisscrossing the country over the last two weeks, Air Force returns to the Academy next week to close out the non-conference slate co-hosting the Thin Air Challenge with Denver on Sept. 15-17. After kicking off the weekend hosting the Pioneers at 6:30 p.m. (MT) on Thursday, Sept 15, the Falcons will host UC San Diego on Friday, Sept. 16 (6:00 p.m.) and San Francisco on Saturday, Sept. 17 (12:00 p.m.).
MATCH INFORMATION
The Falcons will face Idaho State, UC Riverside and Cal Baptist at Van Dyne Gymnasium on the Cal Baptist campus in Riverside over the Sept. 9-10 weekend. Live stats will be available for all three Air Force contests, while the Falcons' match against the host Lancers will be broadcast live on ESPN+ (direct links are below).
MATCH 7 | SEPT 9 | 10:30 AM PT
Air Force vs Idaho State
Riverside, Calif. | Van Dyne Gym
Watch Live (WAC Intl) | Live Stats
MATCH 8 | SEPT 9 | 5:30 PM PT
Air Force vs UC Riverside
Riverside, Calif. | Van Dyne Gym
Watch Live (WAC Intl) | Live Stats
MATCH 9 | SEPT 10 | 1:00 PM PT
Air Force at Cal Baptist
Riverside, Calif. | Van Dyne Gym
Watch Live (ESPN+) | Live Stats
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Idaho State is 4-3 on the year following a 3-1 loss to Boise State on Monday afternoon in Pocatello. Over the weekend, the Bengals went 2-1 at the Gonzaga Tournament, capturing victories over CSUN (3-0) and the host Bulldogs (3-2), while dropping a 1-3 decision to Nevada. UC Riverside and Cal Baptist both head into the weekend with 2-4 marks. The Highlanders went 1-2 at the Molly Howard Memorial Tournament in Houston last weekend, defeating Bethune-Cookman in five after falling to Houston Baptist (0-3) and Louisiana Monroe (1-3), while the Lancers earned that same record at the Washington State Tournament in Pullman, taking a 3-1 win over Belmont after falling to the host Cougars (0-3) and CSU Bakersfield (1-3).
BY THE NUMBERS
Air Force has never played Idaho State and has only faced Cal Baptist once – a 3-1 Air Force victory at the Academy in 2018. UC Riverside holds a 5-1 advantage over the Falcons in the all-time series, but Air Force is 1-0 against the Highlanders at the Division I level – a 3-0 home sweep in 2013.
STARTING OFF STRONG
At 6-0, Air Force is one of just 28 undefeated teams left in NCAA Division I … and there are 334 teams at the NCAA DI level.
JUMPING FOR JOI
Joi Harvey is currently ranked sixth in the NCAA with a 1.77 blocks-per-set average – the second-highest average by any player outside of the Power 5. Her 46 total blocks are the most in the NCAA by four, while her 39 assisted blocks are tied for the national lead with Maryland's Rainelle Jones.
MAKING HISTORY
With its 6-0 start to the season, Air Force is off to its best start ever at the Division I level – and its best overall start since 1994. Previously, the best six-match DI start had been 3-3 (2014, 2020). In addition, the six-straight season-opening victories are tied for the longest win streak at the DI level (2003).
AROUND THE CONFERENCE
Air Force currently leads the Mountain West in opponent hitting, as it has been holding its opponents to a league-low .139 average. As a team, the Falcons are also ranked second in aces (2.04) and blocks (2.85), while holding a top-five average in hitting (.244, fourth). Individually, Joi Harvey leads the conference in blocks (1.77) and is ranked second in hitting (.398), while BrookeLyn Messenger and Caroline Reinkensmeyer are tied for eighth in aces (0.46).
FALCONS WIN ANOTHER TOURNAMENT
Air Force picked up its second tournament title of the year on Sept. 3, as it claimed victories over Siena, Brown and Rhode Island to win the East Coast tournament co-hosted by the latter two teams. With a five-set thriller over Brown (the defending Ivy League champion and 2021 NCAA Tournament team) on Sept. 2 and a 3-0 sweep of Rhode Island on Sept. 3, the Falcons have claimed their first two true road victories since 2020.
MESSENGER NAMED TOURNAMENT MVP
BrookeLyn Messenger was named the Most Valuable Player of the Brown-Rhode Island Invitational on Sept 3 – the first Falcon to capture MVP honors since Elizabeth Pennington claimed the top honor of Louisiana's Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic in 2016. Messenger was joined on the all-tournament team by Joi Harvey and Ella Tschuor.
KEEPING IT CLOSE
Of the 26 sets Air Force has played during the first two weekends of the season, 20 have come during four matches and 11 have been decided by the two-point minimum, including 15-13 thrillers in the ASMC championship match with Drake and the comeback road victory at Brown.
WHAT'S ON DECK
After crisscrossing the country over the last two weeks, Air Force returns to the Academy next week to close out the non-conference slate co-hosting the Thin Air Challenge with Denver on Sept. 15-17. After kicking off the weekend hosting the Pioneers at 6:30 p.m. (MT) on Thursday, Sept 15, the Falcons will host UC San Diego on Friday, Sept. 16 (6:00 p.m.) and San Francisco on Saturday, Sept. 17 (12:00 p.m.).
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
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/ Women's Volleyball
OH
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