Air Force Academy

Nov. 14, 2006

The Air Force volleyball team wraps up the regular season this weekend with a pair of matches against nationally-ranked teams. The Falcons host No. 9 Utah on Friday, Nov. 17, before welcoming 20th-ranked BYU to the Academy the following night (Nov. 18).

Weekly Release 14: Utah and BYU
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UTAH UTES

2006 Record: 23-2 (14-0 MWC)

Head Coach: Beth Launiere

Series Record: Utah leads 18-0

Who to Watch: Emillie Toone (1.90 bpg), Airial Salvo (4.18 kpg)

Notables: Utah has won its last 21 matches

BYU COUGARS

2006 Record: 22-4 (11-3 MWC)

Head Coach: Jason Watson

Series Record: BYU leads 17-1

Who to Watch: Chelsea Goodman (4.58 kpg), Erica Lott (3.99 kpg)

Notables: BYU has five players hitting over .300

LAST TIME OUT: Air Force opened the conference slate in Utah, dropping a pair of matches to both nationally-ranked programs. The Falcons were swept by the 19th-ranked Cougars in 30-18, 30-12, 30-17 scores, before falling in 30-18, 30-14, 30-14 sets to the 21st-ranked Utes.

SENIOR SALUTE: This weekend marks the final home matches for the Falcons' lone senior Tara Dunn. Although she has only been with the program for the past two seasons, Dunn never fails to bring a spark to the lineup whenever she steps on the court.

WAIT! THERE'S ONE MORE: Air Force would also like to thank senior Jeff West, who has spent the past season as a cadet manager.

AN OPEN-SHUT CASE: Air Force opened the 2006 Mountain West Conference slate facing the same teams that it is about to close the season with. It is the first time at the NCAA Division I level that the Falcons have opened and closed the conference season with the same program.

HISTORY 101: In 2002, Air Force became the first women's team from the Academy to defeat BYU in a head-to-head match-up in any sport. The Falcons defeated the Cougars 3-1 in Provo. Last season, the Falcons nearly pulled off the upset - taking 22nd-ranked BYU to five games on Sept. 24.  With a trio of Falcons collecting double-digit kill totals, the Falcons picked up a pair of wins from the unbeaten Cougars, before succumbing to the 3-2 (30-27, 24-30, 30-23, 18-30, 11-15) loss.

DOUBLE DOWN: Seeing significant action over the Nov. 10-12 weekend, senior Tara Dunn doubled her season kill total in just two matches. 11 of her 21 total kills this season came against UNLV and San Diego State, where she was second on the team in point production both nights.

THE BIRTHDAY GIRL: Saturday (Nov. 18) marks the 24th birthday of sophomore Ellen Bina. A graduate of the Academy's prep school, Bina spent four years enlisted in the Air Force, serving as a jet engine mechanic at RAF Lakenheath, England.

FIRST TO 200: Freshman Katie Batchelder was the first Falcon to record 200 kills, hitting that plateau with her final kill against UNLV on Nov. 10. She currently has 203 on the season.

B&B: In the nine matches between the first and second meetings with UNLV, freshmen Katie Batchelder and Jocelyn Booker have led the Falcons in kills in every one of them.  Batchelder has posted the highest total in eight, while Booker tallied the team's best production in the other match. In addition, the duo has combined to tally six of the team's top hitting percentages during that same span. And not to leave out the Falcons' other "B" last namer, junior Ellen Bina had recorded the most digs during five of those nine matches.

AMONG THE BEST: Accounting for 28 service aces in 70 games, junior Rebecca Gerton is ranked second in the Mountain West Conference with a 0.40 aces-per-game average. Gerton has had two five-ace matches, which is tied for third in the league in terms of single-match production.

BEING DIFFERENT: Junior Rebecca Gerton put on the opposite colored jersey for the first time in nearly a year against San Diego State, resuming the libero position that she held all of last season. Gerton, who has become a force as a hitter for the Falcons this year, was the starting libero against the Aztecs.  She accounted for 10 digs, which was the best total by anyone on either side of the net.

ON THE HORIZON: Air Force returns to Las Vegas on Nov. 22 for the 2006 Mountain West Conference Volleyball Tournament. The Falcons will participate in the play-in match on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.  Their opponent will be determined following the final weekend of play, as four teams currently stand tied for fifth with matching 5-10 MWC records.

BY THE NUMBERS: 16 of the Falcons' current 18 players have seen game action, with nine participating in over half of the 79 games. Nine players have registered at least 10 kills, 11 have accounted for at least one assist, 12 have tallied at least one ace, 14 have registered at least one dig and 10 have accounted for at least one block. Of those, four have at least 100 kills, five have at least 10 aces, five have at least 100 digs and seven have at least 10 blocks.