Falcons fall to Aztecs in volleyball

  • Published
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AFPN) --  The Air Force volleyball team dropped a 3-0 decision to San Diego State in Mountain West Conference action here Oct. 13. The Falcons fell in consecutive 30-15, 30-25, 30-22 sets to the visiting Aztecs.

Sophomore Jasamine Pettie's 12 kills set a new career-best, topping her previous high (10) last year against the Aztecs. The Baton Rouge, La., native also posted a season-high .276 hitting percentage, connecting on 12 of 29 attempts with just four errors. Freshman Katie Batchelder, who tallied both of the Falcons' aces on the night, was second on the team with nine kills. Junior Kim Kallabis recorded 28 assists, while sophomore Ellen Bina led the squad with six digs. Freshman Jocelyn Booker posted the team's lone solo block, while assisting on four solo stops.

The first match went to San Diego State, which used four long drives to put the Air Force in a 14-4 hole. A kill by Batchelder allowed the Falcons to cross the 10-point plateau. The Falcons responded with the next two points, including one from a kill by sophomore Kristina Stewart, to bring the score to 24-12, but the Aztecs went on to a 30-15 win.

The two squads traded points in the opening of the second game, until the Aztecs pulled out to a six-point lead at 17-11. The Air Force remained close, however, as kills from Pettie, Booker and junior Rebecca Gerton brought the Falcons to within two at 19-17. A pair of service errors from SDSU and a kill from Pettie helped tie the game at 21. The Aztecs regained the lead, but the Falcons stayed close, pulling the set within one at 25-24. San Diego State scored five of the next six points to take the game 30-25.

San Diego State scored first in the final game, but Air Force quickly tied it at two, again at three and then took the lead at four with a Pettie kill. The Aztecs used several scoring runs to take the lead for good, bringing its advantage to eight at 20-12. The Air Force held the Aztecs at match-point while rolling off three straight, but ultimately fell 30-22.

The Falcons wrap up a three-match home stand today against University of Nevada-Las Vegas in another conference showdown.