Air Force Suffers Road Loss at Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE, Wis. -- The Air Force volleyball team's six-match win streak came to an end this evening (Sept. 15) with a heartbreaking five-set road loss to Milwaukee at the Klotsche Center. After winning the first sets 25-22, 25-20, the Falcons dropped the final three scores by 18-25, 20-25, 13-15 decisions.

Backed by 13 kills from sophomore Ashley Bible, a quartet of Falcons registered double-digit kill totals during the five-set match, as juniors Ella Tschuor and Mac Russ both tallied 12, and senior Aaryn Scires added 10. In addition, Tschuor added 12 digs for her first double-double of the year, while Russ recorded a team-high seven blocks (one solo, six blocks) to help the Falcons out-block the Panthers 11-7. Sophomore Jordan Suan posted a career-high 32 digs to mark the third-straight match she has posted a career-best tally.

Russ opened the Falcons' scoring on the second point of the match, while a 4-1 run that included a kill and block from Scires gave Air Force a 10-8 lead. The Panthers responded with five of the next six points to take a 13-11 advantage, but kills from Russ, Tschuor and Bible highlighted an 8-0 run that helped the Falcons tie the score at 18 and take a 22-18 lead. Milwaukee pulled within one at the 23-22 mark, but Bible put down the final kill for the Falcons' 25-22 win.

Russ again opened the scoring, while an ace from Tschuor helped Air Force take an early 3-0 lead. Despite a pair of strikes from senior Joi Harvey, the Panthers evened the set at seven – but the Falcons quickly responded with a 5-1 run that included a kill and solo block from Russ that gave Air Force a 13-9 advantage. The Panthers clawed back to within one (16-15), but another Air Force response – one that included a service ace from freshman Sophia Dasilva and a pair of scores from sophomore Savanah Johnson (kill, assisted block with Harvey) – saw the Falcons push out to a five-point lead (20-15). Withstanding one last push from Milwaukee (21-19), kills from Russ, Harvey and Bible secured the 25-20 victory for Air Force.

Milwaukee came out quick in the third, using a 5-1 start to take an early 12-5 lead. Tschuor and Russ combined for three-straight points, as they both put down kills and teamed up for a block to cut into the Panthers' lead (8-12). Kills from Bible (three), Johnson, Russ, and Scires, as well as a service ace from junior Ellie Eichhorn, brought the Falcons within three on several occasions – the last being 16-19, but the Panthers closed the set on a 6-2 run to extend the match with a 25-18 win.

After Tschuor, Scires and Russ combined for three of the first four points in the fourth set, Milwaukee strung together several runs to force the Falcons into a timeout trailing 7-11. A pair of kills from Scires, as well as strikes from Bible and Russ, brought Air Force within two (12-14, 15-17), while a pair of Tschuor scores cut that to one (17-18) – but the Panthers scored the next five points to push their advantage to 23-17. Tschuor (kill), Harvey (block) and Scires (kill) added points, but Milwaukee took the set 25-20.

Milwaukee took a quick 4-1 lead and, despite two kills and a pair of Russ/Tschuor blocks, Air Force switched sides trailing 5-8. Bible earned three-straight points for the Falcons, while a kill from Tschuor brought the Falcons within two (10-12). With a pair of kills and an assisted block, Scires and Harvey combined for three points, including two that kept the Panthers at match-point, but the home squad put down the final point for the 15-13 win.

The Falcons remain in Milwaukee tomorrow (Sept. 16), when they face the town's other team – Marquette – at 1:00 p.m. (CT) inside the Al Maguire Center. The Golden Eagles, Air Force's final non-conference opponent of the year, are currently receiving votes in the latest AVCA rankings.

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Team Stats

Ashley Bible

Ella Tschuor

Mac Russ

Aaryn Scires

Players Mentioned

Ashley Bible

Sophia Dasilva

Ellie Eichhorn

Joi Harvey

Savanah Johnson

Mac Russ

Aaryn Scires

Jordan Suan

Ella Tschuor

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