Friday, September 18
Greeley, CO
6:00 pm MT
Air Force Academy
4-7,0-0Mountain West
1
at
3
Northern Colorado
4-6,0-0Big Sky
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Force | 20 | 20 | 25 | 15 | 1 |
| Northern Colo. | 25 | 25 | 17 | 25 | 3 |
Falcons Fall to UNC in Non-Conference Finale
9/18/2026 11:59:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
GREELEY, Colo. -- The Air Force volleyball team wrapped up the non-conference portion of its season this evening (Sept. 18), with a 3-1 road loss to Northern Colorado in Greeley. After surrendering the first two sets by matching 20-25 scores, the Falcons rebounded for an easy 25-17 win in the third, but ultimately fell 15-25 to complete the non-conference season with a 4-7 overall record.
Freshman Kennedy Simon led the Falcons with a career-high, match-best 14 kills, while sophomore Sonia Donkeng Okpara added eight on .300 hitting (8-2-20). Junior Mia Loyd, who was named to the all-tournament team at the conclusion of the match, collected 23 assists, while classmate Grace Fiaseu tallied a match-high five blocks – including three solo stops. Two of Simon's classmates rounded out the stat leaders for Air Force, as Aylani Correa served up a pair of aces (career high) and Ella Vogel earned the second 20-dig match of her career, with a personal-best 22.
Two kills from Simon, as well as service aces from Correa and classmate Karina Mendivil, helped Air Force double up the Bears at the 6-3 mark, while strikes from Mendivil (8-4) and junior Lainie Stapleton (10-5) extended the Falcons' lead. The bears scored the next four points, but a Stapleton/Donkeng Okpara block and a Simon kill stopped the run at the 14-10 mark. Simon added two more kills to keep the Falcons in control (16-13), but Northern Colorado score five-straight points to take an 18-16 lead A kill from Fiaseu tied the set at 19, but the Bears closed on a 6-1 run to take the opening set by a 25-20 margin.
A kill from Simon tied the second set at four and sparked a four-point swing by the Falcons that included Correa's second ace of the match, another kill from Simon and a block from Fiaseu and Stapleton (7-4). The Bears answered with the next six points, before Simon stopped the run with a kill. Fiaseu tallied the next two points (kill, solo block) to even the set at 10, but UNC answered with a 7-2 run. Donkeng Okpara put down back-to-back kills during a 5-1 Air Force run that brough the Falcons within one at 17-18. The Bears responded again to finish the set on a 7-3 run and earn another 25-20 set victory.
Donkeng Okpara had a hand in the Falcons' first three points of the third, putting down two kills and teaming up with Mendivil for a block that helped Air Force take an early 3-2 lead. Air Force pushed its lead to four at the 6-2 mark, before a three-point run (Stapleton kill, Fiaseu block, Simon kill) extended their advantage to five (9-5) and sent the Bears to the bench. The Falcons double up UNC at the 12-6 mark, following kills from Fiaseu and Simon, as well as an ace from senior Annamaria Ramos. Air Force continued to extend its lead, as kills from Fiaseu, Mendivil, Stapleton and freshman Jenness Orcutt pushed the Falcons' advantage to seven at the 16-9 mark. Donkeng Okpara tallied two more kills, before the Falcons forced the Bears into five attacking errors and sealed the 25-17 win with a kill from Simon.
A solo stop from Stapleton opened the fourth set, but the Bears quickly answered for an 11-6 advantage, despite back-to-back kills from Orcutt. Air Force scored three-straight points coming out of a timeout, as Mendivil (kill) and Loyd (ace) pulled the Falcons within two at the 9-11 mark. A pair of kills from Donkeng Okpara and a solo block from Fiaseu kept Air Force close at 13-16, but Northern Colorado rattled off nine of the final 11 scores for the 25-15 set win – and its 13th straight match win over the Falcons.
With the non-conference season complete, the Falcons turn their attention to the Mountain West. Air Force opens league play next week, when it hosts San Jose State in a pair of contests (Sept. 24, Sept. 26) at Cadet East Gym. With conference play beginning, every Air Force match – home and away – will be streamed live on MW+.
Freshman Kennedy Simon led the Falcons with a career-high, match-best 14 kills, while sophomore Sonia Donkeng Okpara added eight on .300 hitting (8-2-20). Junior Mia Loyd, who was named to the all-tournament team at the conclusion of the match, collected 23 assists, while classmate Grace Fiaseu tallied a match-high five blocks – including three solo stops. Two of Simon's classmates rounded out the stat leaders for Air Force, as Aylani Correa served up a pair of aces (career high) and Ella Vogel earned the second 20-dig match of her career, with a personal-best 22.
Two kills from Simon, as well as service aces from Correa and classmate Karina Mendivil, helped Air Force double up the Bears at the 6-3 mark, while strikes from Mendivil (8-4) and junior Lainie Stapleton (10-5) extended the Falcons' lead. The bears scored the next four points, but a Stapleton/Donkeng Okpara block and a Simon kill stopped the run at the 14-10 mark. Simon added two more kills to keep the Falcons in control (16-13), but Northern Colorado score five-straight points to take an 18-16 lead A kill from Fiaseu tied the set at 19, but the Bears closed on a 6-1 run to take the opening set by a 25-20 margin.
A kill from Simon tied the second set at four and sparked a four-point swing by the Falcons that included Correa's second ace of the match, another kill from Simon and a block from Fiaseu and Stapleton (7-4). The Bears answered with the next six points, before Simon stopped the run with a kill. Fiaseu tallied the next two points (kill, solo block) to even the set at 10, but UNC answered with a 7-2 run. Donkeng Okpara put down back-to-back kills during a 5-1 Air Force run that brough the Falcons within one at 17-18. The Bears responded again to finish the set on a 7-3 run and earn another 25-20 set victory.
Donkeng Okpara had a hand in the Falcons' first three points of the third, putting down two kills and teaming up with Mendivil for a block that helped Air Force take an early 3-2 lead. Air Force pushed its lead to four at the 6-2 mark, before a three-point run (Stapleton kill, Fiaseu block, Simon kill) extended their advantage to five (9-5) and sent the Bears to the bench. The Falcons double up UNC at the 12-6 mark, following kills from Fiaseu and Simon, as well as an ace from senior Annamaria Ramos. Air Force continued to extend its lead, as kills from Fiaseu, Mendivil, Stapleton and freshman Jenness Orcutt pushed the Falcons' advantage to seven at the 16-9 mark. Donkeng Okpara tallied two more kills, before the Falcons forced the Bears into five attacking errors and sealed the 25-17 win with a kill from Simon.
A solo stop from Stapleton opened the fourth set, but the Bears quickly answered for an 11-6 advantage, despite back-to-back kills from Orcutt. Air Force scored three-straight points coming out of a timeout, as Mendivil (kill) and Loyd (ace) pulled the Falcons within two at the 9-11 mark. A pair of kills from Donkeng Okpara and a solo block from Fiaseu kept Air Force close at 13-16, but Northern Colorado rattled off nine of the final 11 scores for the 25-15 set win – and its 13th straight match win over the Falcons.
With the non-conference season complete, the Falcons turn their attention to the Mountain West. Air Force opens league play next week, when it hosts San Jose State in a pair of contests (Sept. 24, Sept. 26) at Cadet East Gym. With conference play beginning, every Air Force match – home and away – will be streamed live on MW+.
Players Mentioned
L/DS
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH/RS
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
RS
/ Women's Volleyball
L/DS
/ Women's VolleyballTeam Stats
USAFA
UNC
Kills
45
56
Errors
19
23
Attempts
156
152
Hitting %
.167
.217
Points
59.0
74.0
Assists
38
49
Aces
5
9
Blocks
9
9
Game Leaders
Kills
14
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
5
Kills
7
Aces
1
Blocks
1
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