Air Force Academy

USAF ACADEMY, Colo. -- Senior Kristin Hamlett (Escondido, Calif.) had her best outing since going down with an injury in September, but the Air Force volleyball team dropped a three-game conference decision to Colorado State on Friday (Oct. 21). Although Hamlett rang up 13 kills, two aces and three blocks (one solo, two assisted), the Falcons dropped 30-25, 30-17, 30-17 sets at the Academy.

Colorado State put the first three points on the board, but Hamlett stopped the run with a kill. The Rams used three long serving drives to move their advantage to 13-4. But Air Force continued to fight. The Falcons held Colorado State at 16, while pulling to within four (16-12) behind the serving of Rebecca Gallegos (Las Vegas, N.M.), who tallied a service ace during the run. Although the Rams maintained their lead, the Falcons were never far behind. A kill from Jasamine Pettie (Baton Rouge, La.) allowed Air Force to cross the 20-point plateau and pull back within four. Hamlett posted back-to-back service aces in the waning plays of the game, cutting the Rams' lead to 28-25. But a kill and an ace gave CSU the hard-fought 30-25 win.

CSU began the second game with five straight points, but once again Hamlett stopped the run, posting a solid block. The Rams continued to score and the Falcons found themselves down 12-4. Three CSU serving streaks of at least five serves contributed to the Falcons' 24-9 deficit. A kill by Briana Thomas (Grass Valley, Calif.) crossed the 10-point plateau for the Falcons. Hamlett and Brooke Akers (Desert Hot Springs, Calif.) put down kills, but Air Force fell 30-17 to Colorado State.

Air Force and Colorado State traded the opening points, but CSU maintained the lead. Down 9-5, the Falcons rattled off five straight points -- including a pair of kills from Akers - to take the 10-9 lead. The Falcons' lead, however, was short-lived as Colorado State regained the lead on the ensuing points and surged ahead behind several long scoring runs. As she started the match, Hamlett posted the team's final kill, as they fell to the Rams by a 30-17 margin.

With 13 kills, Hamlett was the only scorer on either team to record double-digit kill tallies. Akers was the Falcons' next leading scorer with nine, while Gallegos posted 6. Akers also accounted for the Falcons' best hitting percentage at .227 (9k-4e-22a). Carly Siefken (Beaverton, Ore.) recorded 29 assists, while Rebecca Gerton (San Leandro, Calif.) led the team in digs with 13.

Statistically, the Falcons became the only team in conference play not to be out-blocked by the Rams, as both teams recorded six total blocks. Akers and Hamlett each notched a solo stop and joined Thomas with a pair of assisted stops as well. Gallegos and Siefken recorded the Falcons' other two assisted blocks.

The Falcons continue Mountain West Conference action tomorrow (Oct. 22), when they host Wyoming at 7 p.m., in the Cadet East Gym.