Falcons lose in straight sets to Rams

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U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AFPN) --  The Air Force volleyball team dropped straight sets to Colorado State in Mountain West Conference action here Oct. 6.

Freshman Katie Batchelder led the Falcons with eight kills, but the academy dropped consecutive 30-14, 30-20, 30-16 sets to the visiting Rams. 

Freshman Jocelyn Booker had seven kills. Junior Kim Kallabis collected 21 assists and tied sophomore Ellen Bina for a team-high eight digs. Batchelder and junior Rebecca Gerton earned the team's two aces, while Gerton assisted with freshman Michelle Harrington on the team's lone block.

Colorado State rolled out to an early 6-0 lead, but an ace by Batchelder stopped the Rams' scoring. CSU embarked on another long serving series to extend its lead to 11-3, but the Falcons rolled off three points of their own behind back-to-back kills from Booker and an ace from Gerton. The Rams used several more long serving streaks to take the first game by a 30-14 score.

Booker and classmate Michelle Harrington helped Air Force earn the first two points of the second set. The Air Force kept its lead as Kallabis earned a kill on a dump-over. Kills by Pettie and Booker kept the Falcons in the lead, but Colorado State finally tied the set at seven. The two teams traded points until CSU finally took a two-point advantage. Kallabis and Gerton put down kills, but CSU started to extend its lead. The Falcons fought back and pulled it to within two at 20-18, but the Rams won 10 of the next 12 points to take the second set 30-20.

One CSU error and kills from Batchelder and Booker gave the Falcons a 3-0 lead to start the third game. Colorado State returned the favor with the next three points, but the Air Force regained the advantage with another Batchelder kill. The two squads went back and forth trading leads, but Colorado State used a quick scoring spurt to double up on Air Force at 10-5. The Falcons continued to collect points, but Colorado State went on to claim the third and final set by a 30-16 mark.

The Falcons close out the first round of conference play next weekend, as San Diego State University and University of Nevada at Las Vegas travel to the academy Oct. 13 and 14, respectively. Both matches begin at 7 p.m. in Clune Arena.