Air Force Academy

Nov. 22, 2006

LAS VEGAS, Nev. - The ninth-seeded Air Force volleyball team bowed out of the 2006 Mountain West Conference Championships with a 3-0 loss to eight-seeded New Mexico on Wednesday, Nov. 22, in Las Vegas, Nev. The Falcons dropped straight 30-19, 30-13 and 30-19 sets to the Lobos in the play-in match of the annual conference tournament.

New Mexico took the first three points, but Air Force quickly pulled within one following a kill and an ace from freshman Katie Batchelder. The Falcons remained within one (5-4) as junior Rebecca Gerton added an ace.  The Lobos collected the next six points, but the Falcons scored the next three behind a kill from sophomore Kristina Stewart and a UNM mishandling of junior Morgan Dolan's serve.  Batchelder added another pair of kills, as did classmate Michelle Harrington.  Batchelder added one more kill, but Air Force ultimately fell 30-19.

Batchelder scored the Falcons' first point of the second set (2-1). UNM ran out to the halfway point (15), but added five serving and attacking errors to the Falcons' six points. Harrington and Batchelder added kills, while Stewart put down an ace, but New Mexico kept its lead doubled (18-9).  The Falcons crossed the 10-point plateau as freshmen Hannah Sorber and Jocelyn Booker teamed up for a block. Booker and Stewart added kills, but New Mexico won the second game by a 30-13.

Sophomore Jasamine Pettie tallied kills on the Falcons' first two points, while the squads traded points. Gerton collected a kill and a UNM serve into the net kept the score tied at four. The Lobos embarked on a five-point run, but Air Force returned to within one (10-9), thanks in part to a block and kill from Booker. Pettie kept the Falcons close (12-11). New Mexico scored the next six points, pulling the lead to 22-13. Batchelder, Pettie and Harrington added kills, but the Lobos took the game by a 30-19 score.

Batchelder led the Falcons with eight kills, while Harrington tabbed the team's top hitting percentage at .400 (4k-0e-10a). Kallabis and Sorber quarterbacked the team with assist totals of 10 and eight, respectively. Batchelder posted two of the team's five aces, while Pettie accounted for the Falcons' lone solo block. Stewart collected a team-leading five aces, while Batchelder, Gerton and sophomore Ellen Bina tied for second with four digs apiece.