Saturday, September 13
Edwardsville, IL
10:00 am MT
Air Force Academy
3
vs
0
Austin Peay
Photo by: Patrick Clark, Athlete Eye Photography
Falcons Rebound with 3-0 Sweep of Austin Peay
9/13/2025 3:27:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. -- The Air Force volleyball team got back on the winning track this morning (Sept. 13), as it downed Austin Peay in straight sets during its finale at the Cougar Classic in Edwardsville. The Falcons swept the Governors 25-22, 25-21, 25-18 in the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
At 8-1, Air Force tied the 2023 squad for the best nine-match start to the season at the DI level.
Sophomore Alysa Walker recorded a team-high 10 kills – the only player on either side of the net to post double-digit kill totals – on .346 hitting (10-1-26) and served up a pair of aces, while classmate Mia Loyd accounted for half of the team's eight aces and added 26 assists. Senior Jordan Suan, another of the Falcon' ace servers, accounted for 14 digs, while senior Alex Hatchett collected three blocks (one solo, two assisted) to round out the team's stat leaders.
Ausitn Peay jumped out to a fast 3-1 start, before kills from Walker and classmate Grace Fiaseu evened the set at five. A block from Fiaseu and Loyd kept the set tied at six, but the Governors retook the lead on the next play and pushed their advantage out to four (9-13), before Hatchett stopped their run with a kill. Walker added a pair of strikes, but Austin Peay extended its lead to 18-11. Walker put down another kill that sparked the Falcons into a furious comeback. Senior Ashley Bible put down a kill and served up an ace during the initial run, while Hatchett and Suan added kills to bring Air Force within one (19-20). A kill and solo block from Walker bookended another four-point run that ended with a 23-21 lead for the Falcons – their first advantage of the set. Sophomore Bella Christensen added a kill that helped complete the comeback and the 25-22 victory.
An ace from Loyd, as well as kills from Bible and Christensen, headlined a quick 3-0 start for Air Force in the second. Austin Peay evened the set at five. A kill and ace from Fiaseu broke an eight-all tie (10-8), but the Governors evened the score at 11 and the teams traded the next several points. Another ace from Loyd broke the back-and-forth play for a two-point Air Force lead (18-16), while Walker and Christensen helped extend the Falcons' advantage and secure the 25-21 win.
The opening minutes of the third was highlighted by a long rally that ended with a kill from Hatchett (2-3). The senior teamed up with Bible for a block at the 6-7 mark, while two more stops from Hatchett (assisted with Christensen, solo) gave Air Force its first lead of the match (11-10) and sent the Governors into a timeout. The Falcons stormed out of the break, scoring eight of the next 10 points to race out to a 19-12 advantage. Freshman Zoe Kirby, making her collegiate debut, assisted on a block with Walker during that run, while Suan and Bible recorded aces and the trio of Christensen, Bible and Walker added kills. Multiple scores from Bible (two kills) and Loyd (back-to-back aces) pushed the Falcons out to match-point, while a kill from Christensen secured the 25-18 win and completed Air Force's sweep of Austin Peay.
Air Force returns to the Academy next week, when it closes out the non-conference slate with the Into the Blue Invitational at Cadet East Gym. The Falcons will host Denver, Northern Colorado and Utah Tech over the Sept. 18-20 weekend – and honor former head coach Matt McShane during the Sept. 19 match with the Bears.
At 8-1, Air Force tied the 2023 squad for the best nine-match start to the season at the DI level.
Sophomore Alysa Walker recorded a team-high 10 kills – the only player on either side of the net to post double-digit kill totals – on .346 hitting (10-1-26) and served up a pair of aces, while classmate Mia Loyd accounted for half of the team's eight aces and added 26 assists. Senior Jordan Suan, another of the Falcon' ace servers, accounted for 14 digs, while senior Alex Hatchett collected three blocks (one solo, two assisted) to round out the team's stat leaders.
Ausitn Peay jumped out to a fast 3-1 start, before kills from Walker and classmate Grace Fiaseu evened the set at five. A block from Fiaseu and Loyd kept the set tied at six, but the Governors retook the lead on the next play and pushed their advantage out to four (9-13), before Hatchett stopped their run with a kill. Walker added a pair of strikes, but Austin Peay extended its lead to 18-11. Walker put down another kill that sparked the Falcons into a furious comeback. Senior Ashley Bible put down a kill and served up an ace during the initial run, while Hatchett and Suan added kills to bring Air Force within one (19-20). A kill and solo block from Walker bookended another four-point run that ended with a 23-21 lead for the Falcons – their first advantage of the set. Sophomore Bella Christensen added a kill that helped complete the comeback and the 25-22 victory.
An ace from Loyd, as well as kills from Bible and Christensen, headlined a quick 3-0 start for Air Force in the second. Austin Peay evened the set at five. A kill and ace from Fiaseu broke an eight-all tie (10-8), but the Governors evened the score at 11 and the teams traded the next several points. Another ace from Loyd broke the back-and-forth play for a two-point Air Force lead (18-16), while Walker and Christensen helped extend the Falcons' advantage and secure the 25-21 win.
The opening minutes of the third was highlighted by a long rally that ended with a kill from Hatchett (2-3). The senior teamed up with Bible for a block at the 6-7 mark, while two more stops from Hatchett (assisted with Christensen, solo) gave Air Force its first lead of the match (11-10) and sent the Governors into a timeout. The Falcons stormed out of the break, scoring eight of the next 10 points to race out to a 19-12 advantage. Freshman Zoe Kirby, making her collegiate debut, assisted on a block with Walker during that run, while Suan and Bible recorded aces and the trio of Christensen, Bible and Walker added kills. Multiple scores from Bible (two kills) and Loyd (back-to-back aces) pushed the Falcons out to match-point, while a kill from Christensen secured the 25-18 win and completed Air Force's sweep of Austin Peay.
Air Force returns to the Academy next week, when it closes out the non-conference slate with the Into the Blue Invitational at Cadet East Gym. The Falcons will host Denver, Northern Colorado and Utah Tech over the Sept. 18-20 weekend – and honor former head coach Matt McShane during the Sept. 19 match with the Bears.
Players Mentioned
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
OPP
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
DS/L
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
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