Strong Blocking Not Enough in Loss to Fresno State

USAF ACADEMY, Colo. – Despite a strong night of blocking, the Air Force volleyball team suffered a three-set loss to Fresno State this evening (Oct. 17) at the Academy. Seven different Falcons tallied at least one stop in the 22-25, 20-25, 21-25 setback to the visiting Bulldogs.

Freshman Grace Fiaseu led the way with a career-high (and team-leading) seven blocks (all assisted), while sophomore Anna Leahy tallied three, including a solo stop, in her return to action. Junior Ashley Bible (two assisted), sophomore Annamaria Ramos (two assisted), junior Alex Hatchett (one assisted), senior Ella Tschuor (one assisted) and senior Mekayla Dedo (one assisted) also added blocks, as the team tallied 9.0 total stops (one solo, 16 assisted) and its second-best blocking performance of the season.

Bible tallied a team-high 10 kills, while Fiaseu added another 400+ night of hitting, with five kills on 12 swings and no errors (.417). Fellow freshman Mia Loyd accounted for half (13) of the team's assists, while Bible added a pair of aces. Junior Jordan Suan rounded out the Falcons' stat lineup with seven digs – and the team's other ace.

Fresno State struck early and often in the opening minutes of the match, jumping out of a fast 10-2 start. Despite kills from Bible and Hatchett, the Bulldogs maintained a large advantage – pushing it to nine at the 14-5 mark. Bibel and Fiaseu teamed up for the Falcons' first stop of the night during a 4-0 run that pulled Air Force within five (12-17).Two kills and an ace from Bible closed the gap to four (15-19), while a block from Dedo and Fiaseu helped shrink the deficit to two (18-20). Strikes from Tschuor and Ramos brought the Falcons' within one (21-22), but the comeback fell just short as Fresno State clicked off three of the final four points for the 25-21 win.

The Bulldogs scored first in the second, but Air Force quickly answered, tying the set at two off Bible's second ace. The teams traded points, before Dedo gave the Falcons their first lead of the night at the 5-4 mark. Back-and-forth play continued with a putback from Bible and Hatchett fiving Air Force a two-point lead (8-6). Fresno State swung the two-point margin in their favor (12-10) and went into the media timeout with a 15-13 advantage. The Bulldogs slowly began to extend their lead and despite kills from Bible and Tschuor (two), pushed their advantage to seven (23-17). Bible and Tschuor added kills, while Fiaseu and Leahy teamed up for a pair of blocks, but Fresno State held on for the 25-20 victory.

The third set started just the like the second, with the two teams trading points. Air Force earned set-tying scores from Bible, Fiaseu and Hatchett, while a strike from Tschuor gave Air Force a 4-3 lead. The senior added another kill at five-all, but Fresno State scored the next three to take an 8-3 lead. Suan served up an ace (7-8), while a pair of blocks – including Leahy's solo stop, gave Air Force a 12-11 lead. The Falcons maintained the advantage and went into the media timeout with a 15-14 advantage. Fresno State came out of the break scoring five of the next six points. Kills from Fiaseu, Loyd and Tschuor put the Falcons at 20 (20-23, while Fresno State completed the sweep with a 25-21 win.

Air Force remains at the Academy on Saturday (Oct. 19), when they host San Jose State for the second contest of a three-match homestand.

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