Air Force Academy

Oct. 22, 2011

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USAF ACADEMY, Colo. - The Air Force volleyball team recorded the sixth-largest attendance in the program's Division I history (1,022 fans) during a 3-0 loss to Colorado State on Saturday, Oct. 22, at Falcon Court at East Gym. The Rams, who are receiving votes in the national coaches' poll, defeated the Falcons in 25-16, 25-13, 25-19 sets.

Sophomore Cami Richan tied for the match lead with seven kills, while freshman Ayesha Hein connected on four of 12 swings (and just one error) for a team-high .250 average. Sophomore Josalynn Wise, starting her second straight match at the setter position, collected 13 assists. Freshman Hillary Keltner added 10 helpers, while adding a pair of service aces. Junior Maiya Perich collected a match-leading 13 digs, while Hein paced the Falcons with three assisted blocks.

Kills from Hein (one) and Richan (two) gave the Falcons the first three points of the match, but Colorado State responded with a 5-0 run. Richan and classmate Claire Bieber helped Air Force even the score at five. The Rams went on a 10-5 run (15-10), before Hein and fellow freshman Lizzy Carpenter put down three combined kills at the 11-16 mark. Air Force added several points from CSU errors and a kill from freshman Victoria Foster, but Colorado State took the set by a 25-16 score.

Air Force found itself in a quick 5-1 hole to start the second game, before kills from Hein and Carpenter, as well as a pair of back-to-back aces from Keltner, pulled the Falcons within one at 6-5. Keltner, Foster and classmate Megan Clary recorded kills, while a serving error from CSU put the Falcons at the 10-point mark (18-10). Carpenter and Clary added kills, but the Rams won the second set by a 25-13 margin.

Colorado State scored the first five points of the third set, before Perich put down a service ace to stop the Rams' early run. A kill from Richan, as well as a block from Hein and Carpenter, helped the Falcons pull within one at 6-5. Richan and Foster helped keep the Falcons within one at 9-8, but the Rams pulled ahead 13-9 with another 5-0 run. A kill from freshman Kristen Holt brought the Falcons within four again at the 18-14 mark, while her second kill of the match put the Falcons at the 15-point mark (20-15). Wise recorded a service ace, while Hein added a kill, but Colorado State defeated Air Force 25-19.

"We need to learn to play against the big block," head coach Matt McShane said. "CSU is a very, very good team. I think we came out like we were a little bit intimidated, but once we settled down, I thought we played well. It's hard to be discouraged though. I think that when we're playing well, it's the best we've played. We just need to do that more."

Air Force heads back out on the road next week, traveling to TCU (Oct. 27) and New Mexico (Oct. 29).