Missed opportunities lead to AF’s 3-1 volleyball defeat

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DENVER (AFPN) --  Despite four players with double-digit kill totals and a huge come-from-behind victory in the first game, the Air Force Academy women’s volleyball team dropped a disappointing 3-1 match to local rival Denver on Sept. 28.

The Falcons rallied for a 36-34 win the first game, before succumbing 30-18, 30-26 and 30-22. With the loss in its next-to-last nonconference match of the season, Air Force falls to 4-7 on the season.

An out-of-bounds ball by Denver in the first game put the Falcons on the board first, and they built up a quick 3-1 lead, but the Pioneers quickly matched them and took the 8-4 lead. A kill by Rebecca Gallegos halted Denver’s scoring streak, but the Falcons continued to lag behind their hosts.

Although trailing by as many as eight at one point, Air Force continued to fight back, and they slowly closed the gap. A kill by Kristin Hamlett tied the game at 25, making the comeback complete. A service ace by Brittany Oligney put the Falcons just one point shy of the game win, but this time it was Denver that came back, tying the score at 29. From there, it was a close, evenly matched game, as the teams traded leads. Once past the 30-point plateau, both teams took a one-point lead three different times, before the Falcons were able to claim that elusive second point and the 36-34 victory.

The second game saw Air Force get down early and unable to catch up. Long scoring drives by the Pioneers kept the Falcons down to half that of their hosts (10-5, 16-8, 20-10). Hamlett and Gallegos kept the squad within 10 by several key kills and an ace until the Pioneers took the 30-18 game win and evened the match at one.

For as lopsided as the second game was, the third was a hotly contested battle. Denver took the early 1-0 point that a kill by Hamlett quickly matched. Once Oligney tied the score at four, it went back and forth for the next 20 combined points. Air Force would claim a point, and Denver would tie it up on the very next serve. The game went this way until the Pioneers took a one-point lead at 14-13 -- a point the Falcons quickly answered. The game remained within one or two points until Denver started to pull away. Despite several strong kills by Lamecca Jefferson, the Pioneers edged the Falcons for the narrow 30-26 victory.

The fourth game was much like the second, as two Denver runs put the Falcons down 11-5 early. Air Force allowed Denver just two points, while racking up eight of their own, and a kill by Molly White evened the score at 13. Unfortunately for the Falcons, another set of Denver runs put the game away, as the Pioneers secured the 3-1 win.

With a season-best 21 kills, Hamlett led four Falcon scorers with double-double totals. Gallegos posted 14 kills, while Oligney and Brooke Akers had totals of 11 and 10, respectively. Carly Siefken quarterbacked the team with 58 assists, matching a career-best. Hamlett and Oligney also led the team in digs, with 10 kills apiece, for a double-double.

Air Force next plays at home against Utah on Oct. 1.