Air Force Prepares to Host Travel Partner San Diego State
Action begins at 5 p.m., on Friday, Nov. 13.
Jackie Norton
Nov. 9, 2009
With just two weeks left in the season, the Air Force volleyball team will embark on its longest homestand of 2009. This week, the Falcons host travel partner San Diego State in Mountain West Conference action on Friday, Nov. 13. It is just the third time this season that the Falcons have played only one match during the week. Action is slated for an early 5 p.m., start time at the Academy's Clune Arena.
TUNIN' IN
The Falcons' match against San Diego State will not be video-streamed, but will still be broadcast live on KAFA, the Academy's cadet-run radio station. Fans can access the radio feed on GoAirForceFalcons.com.
SAN DIEGO STATE QUICK HITS
The Aztecs will be making their second trip to Colorado in as many weeks when they travel to the Academy. San Diego State is coming off a weekend split along the Front Range. The Aztecs defeated Wyoming in a five-set match on Nov. 5, before falling in a tight three-set match at Colorado State on Nov. 7. Six Aztecs average at least two kills a match, highlighted by Hannah Evans and Lauren Salisbury's 2.54 kills per set. Setter Lauren Van Orden currently leads the MWC with 11.01 assists per set
HISTORY 101
San Diego State holds a 25-1 all-time advantage over Air Force. The Falcons' only win in the series came in 1999, when Air Force defeated SDSU by a 3-1 margin. Air Force took a set from the Aztecs last year in San Diego. First-year coach Dietre Collins-Parker, who spent eight years as the head coach at UNLV (1996-03), holds a 15-2 mark over the Falcons.
HANSEN IS HANDS-ON
Junior Julia Hansen had a stellar weekend (Nov. 5-7), as she got a hand on eight blocks. At Colorado State, she assisted on three blocks, before helping on a career-best five blocks at Wyoming. With the impressive weekend, Hansen improved her season total to 22 blocks (one solo, 21 assists).
HOME SWEET HOME
After playing 20 of its first 26 matches away from the friendly confines of Clune Arena, Air Force concluded its road schedule on Nov. 7, with an 8-12 mark.
GETTING UP TO THE NET
With three assisted blocks at Wyoming, junior Nichole Stilwell moved into fifth on the program's Division I record book for total blocks. With 172 total stops, Stilwell overtook Jasamine Pettie (171) for fifth on the list. Stilwell, who currently has 144 assisted stops during her first three years, is just five assisted stops away from overtaking Pettie for fifth in that category.
CAN I GET AN ACE?
With three service aces against Colorado State on Nov. 5, freshman Maiya Perich took over the team lead in that category with 26 total aces. Junior Caroline Kurtz retook the lead with a pair of aces two days later at Wyoming on Nov. 7. With back-to-back aces to open the match, Kurtz has now tallied 27 aces on the year. Kurtz and Perich are ranked third and fourth, respectively, in the Mountain West Conference in that category.
SHOWING OFF THE BOOK SMARTS
Junior Caroline Kurtz was named to the ESPN the Magazine University Division Academic All-District VII second-team on Nov. 5. With a 3.85 GPA in biology, she is the sixth Air Force player to earn the district award. In addition, Kurtz is also the third different Air Force player over the last three years to claim the honor.
ON THE HORIZON...
Air Force closes out the 2009 season next weekend, when it hosts BYU and Utah at the Academy's Clune Arena. The Falcons will face BYU at 7 p.m., on Thursday, Nov. 19, before closing out the season on Saturday, Nov. 21, against Utah at 1 p.m.
