Air Force Academy

Oct. 8, 2003

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The Air Force volleyball team will be playing their first league road travel as the team travels to UNLV (Oct. 9) and San Diego State (Oct. 11) in an effort to improve their 1-2 conference record. The Falcons, who are coming off tough losses to Utah and BYU, are looking to get back on track against the Rebels, who are winless in league matches.

MATCH NOTES:
AIR FORCE vs. UNLV:
The Falcons have defeated the Cougars just twice in the team's history -- In 1999 and 1996. AFA is 2-12 all-time against UNLV.

SCOUTING UNLV:
The Rebels are 6-8 and have not won a conference match in three attempts. They are on a five-match losing streak, and in their last match against Wyoming, they failed to reach 20 points in any game of a 3-0 loss. Leiana Oswald leads the team in kills per game with 4.15, which ranks third in the league. Tarin Keith leads the team in digs (2.40 pg), while Nicki King is the team's assist leader (11.97 pg).

AIR FORCE vs. SDSU:
The Falcons have defeated the Aztecs just once in twelve matches. In 1999, the Falcons took the Aztecs in four games. AFA was swept in all other matches.

SCOUTING the AZTECS:
SDSU is 1-2 in the league, falling to CSU and Wyoming last weekend after sweeping UNLV in their first MWC match. The team's strength is its blocking -- they lead the league in blocks per game (3.30). The team is led by Aspen McPartland, who is averaging 3.81 kills and 1.28 blocks per game. Kara Moriarty is the team leader in digs (2.17 pg), while Sara Engstrom leads the team in assists (11.64 pg).

OPPOSING PLAYERS TO WATCH:
UNLV's Leiana Oswald averaged 5.25 kills and 3.75 digs per game in seven games against the Falcons last season. SDSU's McPartland had 23 kills in six games (3.23 pg) and 12 total blocks last season against the Falcons.

NATIONAL RANKING:
Entering the Portland State tournament, two players were ranked in the top 10 nationally. Kristin Huitt was sixth in the nation in assists per game. At the time, she was averaging 13.86 apg. Delavane Diaz was averaging 5.75 kills, which ranked eighth in the nation. It marked the first time in the team's Division I history that two players were ranked in the top 10 nationally.