Volleyball: Falcons fall to San Diego State

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SAN DIEGO (AFPN) --  U.S. Air Force Academy senior Kim Kallabis accounted for three service aces, but the Air Force volleyball team dropped a straight-set match to San Diego State in Mountain West Conference action Oct. 4 in San Diego. 

The Falcons fell in three straight sets, 30-13, 30-16 and 30-17.

San Diego State struck first in the initial game, but Air Force quickly responded and took the early lead off of a service ace by freshman Caroline Kurtz. The Aztecs responded with four straight points, but the Falcons responded to pull the score to within one, when sophomore Michelle Harrington tallied the squad's first kill of the night. SDSU cemented their lead following a 14-2 run. Sophomore Katie Batchelder and junior Kristina Stewart added kills, but Air Force fell to San Diego State in the first set by a 30-13 margin.

Batchelder posted a kill in the opening play of the second game, but Air Force found itself in an early 8-1 hole. Batchelder added another kill and Kallabis recorded an ace, but San Diego State had doubled the Air Force by a 16-8 advantage. Stilwell added another kill, as did classmate Julia Hansen. Harrington produced back-to-back points for the Falcons, behind a kill and an assisted block with Batchelder, but the Falcons ultimately fell 30-16 to the Aztecs.

Air Force kept the third game within one behind a block from Harrington and Stewart. The Aztecs took a four-point lead, but Hansen added another kill. San Diego State continued to improve its lead, pulling out to a nine-point lead, before Hansen added another pair of kills. Air Force continued to add kills, backed by three from Batchelder and two from Stewart. Kallabis collected a pair of back-to-back service aces, but Air Force dropped the final match by a 30-17 score. 

Kallabis, who had a team-leading 18 assists, tied for the match lead with three service aces. Batchelder led the team with eight kills, while Stewart and Hansen added totals of five and four, respectively. Senior Rebecca Gerton collected six digs, while Harrington tallied a team-best two assisted blocks.

Air Force next travels to Las Vegas for a Mountain West Conference match-up with UNLV Oct. 6.

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