Air Force Academy

Oct. 13, 2006

Box Score

USAF ACADEMY, Colo. - Despite sophomore Jasamine Pettie's career-best 12 kills, the Air Force volleyball team dropped a 3-0 decision to San Diego State in Mountain West Conference action on Friday, Oct. 13, at the Academy. The Falcons fell in consecutive 30-15, 30-25, 30-22 sets to the visiting Aztecs.

Pettie's 12 kills is a new career-best, topping her previous high (10) that she set 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 a team-leading four solo stops.

The first match went to San Diego State, who used four long drives to put 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 double-up Air Force with the 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 the 17-11 mark. 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 on 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 the 20-12 mark. Booker and Batchelder added kills and Batchelder's second ace of the night cross the 20-point threshold.  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 tomorrow (Oct. 14), as they host UNLV in another conference showdown. Game Tracker and video streaming will be available for the match, which is slated to begin at 7 p.m.