Friday, September 4
Vermillion, SD
6:00 pm MT
Air Force Academy
1-3,0-0Mountain West
1
at
3
South Dakota
4-1,0-0Summit League
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Force | 25 | 20 | 17 | 21 | 1 |
| South Dakota | 16 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
Photo by: Patrick Clark, Athlete Eye Photography
Air Force Suffers 3-1 Road Loss to South Dakota
9/4/2026 9:52:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
VERMILLION, S.D. -- Senior Annamaria Ramos and junior Alysa Walker combined for 33 of the team's 51 kills this evening (Sept. 4), as the Air Force volleyball team suffered a tough, 3-1 setback to South Dakota during the second day of competition at the USD Classic in Vermillion.
Ramos registered a career-high 15 kills on .385 hitting during Friday's match (no errors on 39 swings), while Walked posted a match-high 18 kills and added 14 digs for her second double-double of the week. Junior Grace Fiaseu and sophomore Sam Pope both accounted for two aces on the night, while Fiaseu tied with classmate Lainie Stapleton for a team-leading three blocks (one solo, two assisted each. Junior Mia Loyd paced the squad with 23 helpers and freshman Ella Vogel tied her career high with 17 digs.
Backed by scores from Fiaseu (ace), Walker (kill) and Stapleton (solo block), the Falcons jumped out to a fast 4-1 start. Four kills from Ramos headlined a five-point run by the Falcons that stretched their lead to 10-3, while Stapleton tallied two kills and teamed up with Fiaseu for a block to maintain the Falcons' seven-point lead (15-8). The Coyotes pulled within two (16-14), but Air Force responded with a four-point swing that included a pair of kills from Ramos and one from sophomore Sonia Donkeng Okpara (20-14). Freshman Jenness Orcutt registered a kill and Fiaseu made a solo stop in the final minutes of the opening set, while another strike from Walker secured the 25-16 victory for the Falcons.
The Coyotes struck first in the second, but two kills from Walker and a strike from Donkeng Okpara tied the set at four. Ramos continued her run to keep the scores even at five – and again at seven. South Dakota scored the next three points to take a 10-7 lead and send Air Force into a timeout. Fiaseu scored twice out of the break, posting a kill and serving up her second ace. Walker added another kill, but another three-point swing by the Coyotes gave the home team a 15-11 break at the media timeout. Fiaseu, Ramos and Walker added kills, but South Dakota reached set point with a 24-16 advantage. The Falcons held the Coyotes scoreless during a four-point run that included scores from Donkeng Okpara (kill), Pope (ace) and Walker (two kills). South Dakota ultimately scored the final point to halt the Falcons' comeback attempt and secure the 25-20 win.
Air Force found themselves with an early 7-3 deficit to start the third set, before Ramos recorded the Falcons first kill of the frame. The senior added another score and Stapleton posted two kills, but South Dakota took a 15-10 lead into the media timeout. Orcutt scored the first point out of the break, while four-straight kills from Ramos, Walker (two) and Fiaseu pulled the Falcons within one at the 16-17 mark. The Coyotes responded with the next three scores and eight of the final nine for the 25-17 victory.
South Dakota continued its run into the fourth set, jumping out to an early 6-1 lead. Walker (kill) and Pope (ace) scored on back-to-back plays (3-6), but the Coyotes returned their advantage to five at the 10-5 mark. Air Force earned kills from Ramos and Loyd, while a block from Stapleton and Fiaseu helped bring the Falcons within one at 11-12. South Dakota scored six of the next eight points to go up by five (18-13), before Orcutt put down a kill and Ramos teamed up with sophomore Zoe Kirby for a block at 15-18. Air Force remained within three (19-22) off back-to-back kills from Fiaseu, while another strike from the junior, as well as one from Ramos, held the Coyotes at match-point for two plays. The hosts held off the Falcons' comeback with a final kill that ended the set – and match – by a 25-21 margin
Air Force closes out the South Dakota Classic tomorrow (Sept. 5) morning, when they face Utah Valley at 11:00 a.m. (CT) inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center.
Ramos registered a career-high 15 kills on .385 hitting during Friday's match (no errors on 39 swings), while Walked posted a match-high 18 kills and added 14 digs for her second double-double of the week. Junior Grace Fiaseu and sophomore Sam Pope both accounted for two aces on the night, while Fiaseu tied with classmate Lainie Stapleton for a team-leading three blocks (one solo, two assisted each. Junior Mia Loyd paced the squad with 23 helpers and freshman Ella Vogel tied her career high with 17 digs.
Backed by scores from Fiaseu (ace), Walker (kill) and Stapleton (solo block), the Falcons jumped out to a fast 4-1 start. Four kills from Ramos headlined a five-point run by the Falcons that stretched their lead to 10-3, while Stapleton tallied two kills and teamed up with Fiaseu for a block to maintain the Falcons' seven-point lead (15-8). The Coyotes pulled within two (16-14), but Air Force responded with a four-point swing that included a pair of kills from Ramos and one from sophomore Sonia Donkeng Okpara (20-14). Freshman Jenness Orcutt registered a kill and Fiaseu made a solo stop in the final minutes of the opening set, while another strike from Walker secured the 25-16 victory for the Falcons.
The Coyotes struck first in the second, but two kills from Walker and a strike from Donkeng Okpara tied the set at four. Ramos continued her run to keep the scores even at five – and again at seven. South Dakota scored the next three points to take a 10-7 lead and send Air Force into a timeout. Fiaseu scored twice out of the break, posting a kill and serving up her second ace. Walker added another kill, but another three-point swing by the Coyotes gave the home team a 15-11 break at the media timeout. Fiaseu, Ramos and Walker added kills, but South Dakota reached set point with a 24-16 advantage. The Falcons held the Coyotes scoreless during a four-point run that included scores from Donkeng Okpara (kill), Pope (ace) and Walker (two kills). South Dakota ultimately scored the final point to halt the Falcons' comeback attempt and secure the 25-20 win.
Air Force found themselves with an early 7-3 deficit to start the third set, before Ramos recorded the Falcons first kill of the frame. The senior added another score and Stapleton posted two kills, but South Dakota took a 15-10 lead into the media timeout. Orcutt scored the first point out of the break, while four-straight kills from Ramos, Walker (two) and Fiaseu pulled the Falcons within one at the 16-17 mark. The Coyotes responded with the next three scores and eight of the final nine for the 25-17 victory.
South Dakota continued its run into the fourth set, jumping out to an early 6-1 lead. Walker (kill) and Pope (ace) scored on back-to-back plays (3-6), but the Coyotes returned their advantage to five at the 10-5 mark. Air Force earned kills from Ramos and Loyd, while a block from Stapleton and Fiaseu helped bring the Falcons within one at 11-12. South Dakota scored six of the next eight points to go up by five (18-13), before Orcutt put down a kill and Ramos teamed up with sophomore Zoe Kirby for a block at 15-18. Air Force remained within three (19-22) off back-to-back kills from Fiaseu, while another strike from the junior, as well as one from Ramos, held the Coyotes at match-point for two plays. The hosts held off the Falcons' comeback with a final kill that ended the set – and match – by a 25-21 margin
Air Force closes out the South Dakota Classic tomorrow (Sept. 5) morning, when they face Utah Valley at 11:00 a.m. (CT) inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center.
Team Stats
USAFA
SD
Kills
51
55
Errors
16
15
Attempts
150
148
Hitting %
.233
.270
Points
61.0
71.0
Assists
48
52
Aces
5
7
Blocks
5
9
Game Leaders
Kills
18
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
15
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
7
Aces
2
Blocks
3
Kills
4
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Thursday, September 24
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Tuesday, September 15
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