Falcons Sweep Spartans in Wire-to-Wire Victory

USAF ACADEMY, Colo. -- Backed by a strong overall performance from senior Caroline Reinkensmeyer, the Air Force volleyball team got back to its winning ways this afternoon (Oct. 21) during a dominating three-set sweep of San Jose State at the Academy. The Falcons controlled the match wire-to-wire, allowing just two ties and one lead change in their 25-21, 25-14, 25-22 victory over the Spartans.

The Falcons hit at their second-highest clip of the season during the win, as they combined for a .326 average, with 44 kills on 92 attempts and just 14 errors. In addition, Air Force held the Spartans to just .169 hitting – the Falcons' second-lowest opponent performance in Mountain West play.

Senior Joi Harvey (11) and junior Mac Russ (10) combined for 21 of the team's 44 kills, with Russ hitting .600 on the day following just one error on 15 swings. Harvey, who hit .364 on the day (11-3-22), added four blocks (one solo, three assisted), while Reinkensmeyer tallied 35 of the team's 37 assists, hit .625 with a career-high six kills, posted a match-high five blocks (all assisted) and earned one of the game's two service aces during a stellar all-around day on the court, while junior Ella Tschuor served up the other ace and sophomore Jordan Suan led all players with 11 digs.

Air Force rolled out to a fast 4-0 start, backed by kills from Russ and senior Aaryn Scires. Back-to-back Harvey/Reinkensmeyer blocks helped the Falcons push their advantage to five at the 7-2 mark, while a pair of kills from junior Ella Tschuor and another Harvey/Reinkensmeyer stop gave Air Force a seven-point lead (15-8). Air Force maintained a 21-16 lead off multiple kills from Harvey, Russ and sophomore Ashley Bible, but the Spartans used a quick 4-1 run to pull within two (23-20). Scires stopped San Jose State's comeback attempt with a kills, while a score from Reinkensmeyer secured the 25-21 victory.

The Spartans struck first in the second set, but, with Tschuor at the serving line, the Falcons quickly turned a 1-3 deficit into a 6-3 lead. Two kills from Reinkensmeyer highlighted another five-point stretch by the Falcons that stretched their lead to eight (13-5). Tschuor and Russ added kills, while a pair of strikes from Harvey gave Air Force at 20-12 lead. Reinkensmeyer and Russ accounted for three of the team's final five points (kill for both, assisted block), as Air Force rolled to the 25-14 win.

The Falcons rolled out to a 4-0 start in the third, while back-to-back kills from Bible halted a run by the Spartans that had brought the visitors within one (6-5) – and sparked another four-point swing by the Falcons that included a second Reinkensmeyer/Russ block and ended with Air Force holding a five-point advantage (10-5). A pair of kills from Tschuor, as well as a kill and solo block from Harvey, helped Air Force maintain a lead, but San Jose State was able to tie the set at 17. Air Force regained the lead off an attacking error, while Reinkensmeyer served up an ace for a two-point margin (19-17). Four different Falcons – Tschuor, Russ, Harvey, Scires – scored for Air Force in the final minutes, while another Harvey strike secured the 25-22 victory – the Falcons second-straight sweep of the Spartans.

The win marked head coach Keith Barnett's 50th victory at the Academy, as he became just the second Air Force Volleyball coach to reach that milestone at the Division I level – and the fastest to do so in both years and matches.

Air Force remains at the Academy next week for its longest homestand of the year, as it hosts UNLV (Oct 26) and San Diego State (Oct 28) at Cadet East Gym.

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