Falcons Open Season with 3-1 Victory over Jacksonville State

USAF ACADEMY, Colo. -- Career -high performances from senior Ashley Bible and the sophomore trio of Grace Fiaseu, Mia Loyd, and Alysa Walker led the Ari Force volleyball team to a season-opening 3-1 victory over Jacksonville State on Friday (Aug. 29) night, during the opening day of the team's annual Amy Svoboda Memorial Classic. After splitting the first two sets 25-11, 24-26, the Falcons closed out the match with a pair of 25-17 wins to secure their sixth-straight home-opening win and improve to 3-0 lifetime against the Gamecocks.

With a 19-kill performance, Bible equaled her career high and paced Fiaseu (career-high 14) and Walker (career-high 11) to 44 of the team's 55 kills. The trio was assisted off a stellar night from Loyd, who tallied a personal-best 46 helpers, matched her career-high with four aces, and notched the fifth double-double of her career with 11 digs. Senior Jordan Suan added 17 digs on the night to tie for the match lead.

The Falcons jumped out to a fast 6-1 lead behind kills from Walker and Fiaseu, before another strike from Walker pushed Air Force's advantage out to 8-2. Walker posted up another kil and recorded the team's first service ace of the season to push the lead to seven (11-4). Back-to-back kills from the sophomore duo extended the Falcons' advantage to nine (16-7), while another set of kills from the pair maintained that advantage at the 19-10 mark. Two kills from Bible, as well as back-to-back aces from Loyd, secured the Falcons' easy 25-11 victory.

A kill from senior Alex Hatchett and an ace from Bible helped Air Force out to a quick 4-2 lead in the second, while a strike from Walker maintained a lead for Air Force at the 5-4 mark. The Gamecocks evened the set at six, but three-straight kills from Walker (one) and Bible (two) broke the tie. Jacksonville State scored four of the next five points to go up 11-10, while Fiaseu responded with a pair of kills to return he advantage to Air Force. The Falcons pushed their lead out of four (21-17) behind kills from Bible, Hatchett and Fiaseu, while Loyd served up another ace – but the Gamecocks tie the set at 23 and went on to even the match with a 26-24 win.

Bible opened the scoring in the third, while a kill from Fiaseu and the first collegiate ace for sophomore Kiera King gave Air Force a 5-4 lead. Classmate Bella Christensen put down her first collegiate kill at the 10-8 mark, while a 4-0 run by the Falcons that included a kill from Bible and an ace from Walker helped Air Force double up the Falcons at the 20-10 mark. Jacksonville State closed the gap, but another ace from Loyd and back-to-back scores from Bible (kill, ace) secured the Falcons' 25-17 victory.

The two squads traded points in the opening minutes of the fourth set, before a kill from Loyd helped Air Force take a two-point lead (6-4). Bible accounted for the Falcons' next three kills to go up 11-7, while a kill from Fiaseu sent Air Force into the media timeout with a 16-10 advantage. Walker and Bible continued to put down kills, while a pair of strikes from Fiaseu guaranteed another 25-17 win for the Falcons.

The Falcons continue action at the Amy Svoboda Memorial Classic tomorrow (Aug. 30), when they host Portland State at 1:00 p.m. (MT). The Vikings are coming off a 3-2 loss to Jacksonville State and a 3-0 loss to Seattle this afternoon at Cadet East Gym.

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