Air Force Suffers Straight-Set Loss to UNLV

LAS VEGAS – The Air Force volleyball team suffered an 0-3 setback to UNLV this evening (Nov. 21), in the penultimate match of the 2024 season. The Falcons steadily improved over the three-set match, but fell by 16-25, 18-25, 21-25 margins to split the season series with the Rebels.

Air Force out-blocked the Rebels – the conference's No. 2 ranked team, by a 6-2 margin. Junior Alex Hatchett led the Falcons with a match-high four blocks (all assisted), while senior Ella Tschuor (three) and freshman Brooksie Isham (two) also assisted on multiple blocks.

Offensively, the Falcons improved their hitting efficiency by 100 points in every set to finish the night with a .244 average. Junioe Ashley Bibel tallied a team-high nine kills on .474 hitting, as she committed no errors on 19 swings, while freshman Grace Fiaseu also hit over .400, with five kills and no errors on 11 attempts (.455). Freshman Mia Loyd accounted for over half (of the Falcons' 22 assists (12), while Fiaseu served up the team's only ace. Sophomore Sophia Dasilva, who took over libero duties in the second set, rounded out the Falcons' stat leaders with 13 digs.

The Rebels jumped out to a fast 6-1 lead that forced the Falcons into an early timeout. Following one more point by UNLV, Tschuor put down a kill to record the Falcons' first offensive point and spark a 6-0 run that tied the set at seven. The senior teamed up with Hatchett for a block, while Fiaseu served up an ace during that run. The Rebels responded with four of the next gibe points to retake the lead (11-8), but kills from Hatchett and Bible helped pull Air Force within one at the 11-12 mark. UNLV used another 6-1 run to retake the lead and, despite a another kill from Tschuor and a solo block from senior Mekayla Dedo, UNLV took the opening set by a 25-16 margin.

Isham traded points with UNLV in the opening minutes of the second set, tallying two kills and a block (with Hatchett) to give Air Force and early 4-3 lead. After Tschuor put down a score to maintain the Falcons' advantage (5-4), the Rebels broke the back-and-forth play with an 11-2 run that sent Air Force into the media timeout trailing 7-15. .UNLV pushed its lead to 10 (17-7) two plays later, but back-to-back scores from Fiaseu (kill, block with Tschuor) put the Falcons in double figures (10-17). Tschuor teamed up with Hatchett for another stop and Bible added three more kills, but the Rebels claimed the 25-18 victory.

A kill from Fiaseu and a pair of UNLV errors helped the Falcons out to a quick 3-1 lead in the third. After the Rebels tied the set at three, the teams traded points – with Bible, Tschuor (two) and sophomore Annamaria Ramos accounting for set-leading points. Another kill by the Las Vegas native pushed the Falcons' lead to two (8-5), while back-to-back kills from Fiaseu and Bible extended that margin to three (10-7). Bible added another strike, but UNLV evened the set at 12. The teams traded serving errors for Air Force to take a 15-13 advantage into the media break. The teams continued their back-and-forth play, seeing ties at 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19, before the Rebels broke open the set with five-straight scores. Hatchett and Isham teamed up for another block, but the Rebels completed the sweep with the 25-21 win.

The Falcons close out the 2024 campaign on Saturday (Nov. 23), when they travel to San Diego State for a noon (PT) match-up with the Aztecs at Peterson Gym.

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Team Stats

Ashley Bible

Ella Tschuor

Grace Fiaseu

Annamaria Ramos

Players Mentioned

Sophia Dasilva

Mekayla Dedo

Grace Fiaseu

Alex Hatchett

Brooksie Isham

Mia Loyd

Annamaria Ramos

Ella Tschuor

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