Air Force falls in three to TCU

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U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AFPN) --  The U.S. Air Force Academy volleyball team dropped a three-game match here to Texas Christian University Sept. 22. 

Playing at home for the first time in nearly a month, the Falcons lost in consecutive scores of 30-19, 30-18 and 30-22 to the visiting TCU Horned Frogs.

Sophomore Kristina Stewart led the team with eight kills, while classmate Jasamine Pettie and freshman Katie Batchelder each put down seven for the Air Force. Freshman Jocelyn Booker collected six kills on 15 attempts for a team-best .267 hitting percentage. Junior Kim Kallabis and freshman Hannah Sorber split time at the setter position, collecting respective assist totals of 19 and 13. Freshman Jaclyn Fleming, who led the team with 13 digs, was one of four Falcons to record a service ace.

TCU opened the scoring with four straight points in the first set. A service ace by junior Rebecca Gerton stopped the scoring, and the Air Force quickly pulled within two points off of Stewart's first kill. The Horned Frogs used another scoring streak to take control of the game, en route to the 30-19 win.

Several long runs by TCU sent the Falcons into an early 16-6 hole in the second game. A pair of kills by Stewart crossed the Falcons over the 10-point plateau. The Air Force continued to score as freshman Danielle Mittelstadt added a kill, and Kallabis used a quick pass to cut the Horned Frogs lead to 24-15. TCU went on to claim the 30-18 win.

In the third game, the Air Force pulled within two at the 6-4 mark from Booker's kill. The Falcons stayed close to the Horned Frogs, as Batchelder served on five straight plays to keep within two at 12-10. A triple-team block by Booker, Stewart and Gerton pulled Air Force to within one at 14-13, but the visitors began to pull away once again. Booker's kill put the Falcons at 20 points, but TCU claimed the third set by a 30-22 margin.