Falcons narrowly fall to No. 22 Utah in volleyball

  • Published
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AFPN) --  The Air Force Academy women’s volleyball team dropped a close 3-1 Mountain West Conference decision to No. 22 University of Utah here Oct. 1.

The Falcons, who had not taken a game from the Utes since 1999, handily downed the nationally ranked team in the first game. After dropping the next two games 30-16 and 30-23, Air Force nearly outlasted Utah in the fourth game, before falling 30-27.

A service ace by Carly Siefken opened the match, and Air Force quickly claimed a 6-3 lead. The Utes tied things at 10, but the Falcons retook the lead and pulled out to 22-18, backed by strong serving from Siefken. Just one point from securing its first game victory over Utah in five years, Air Force survived a scare as the Utes went on a scoring spree and pulled within four. A pounding kill by Lamecca Jefferson earned Air Force the 30-25 victory.

The second game was not as kind to the Falcons, as Utah scored early and often. Down 8-6, the Falcons were unable to stop Utah, who scored 10 straight points, before a Jefferson kill stopped the spree. A Kristin Hamlett kill put the Falcons in double-digit scoring, but Utah easily went on to claim the 30-16 win.

Air Force again opened the scoring in the third game off of two attacking errors by Utah. The two teams played it close, usually only a point of separation during the opening minutes. Two aces by Siefken highlighted a 5-0 Air Force run that put the Falcons up 13-9. Utah tied things up at 15 and went on to take the lead. Two long serving streaks by the Utes solidified their lead and gave them the 30-23 win.

Again the Falcons scored first in the fourth game, as Hamlett set down a kill. The Falcons crawled out to a slight lead at 10-8, but Utah tied at 11 and took their own lead. Five straight serves by Gallegos led to the Falcons regaining the lead at 20-17. The lead continued to be traded, as Utah tied it at 21. The two teams battled back and forth for the remaining points, neither team earning more than two points in a row. Although Utah had the lead, Air Force kept it close and pulled within one at 28-27, before succumbing to the Utes, 30-27.

Jefferson led the Falcons with 17 kills, while Hamlett tallied eight. Siefken not only led all players with 40 assists, she also tallied a season-best five service aces. Rachael Mooney hit her first collegiate service ace in the first game and went on to add two more. Hamlett also led the team in blocks, with a season-best three solo blocks and three assisted blocks.