Volleyball Rallies Past Air Force

Friday, September 11

Arlington, VA

12 PM

Army West Point

Air Force

Army

Air Force

Volleyball Rallies Past Air Force

September 11, 2015 | Volleyball

Box Score

WASHINGTON, D.C. – After trailing Air Force two sets to zero, the Army West Point volleyball team rallied to force a fifth set. The Black Knights defeated the Falcons 3-2 in front of high-ranking officials at the Pentagon Athletic Center Friday afternoon. Plebe outside hitter Victoria Reyer was the difference maker in today's game with the match winning point.

"Every time you play against a fellow service academy, you know it will be a great fight," said head coach Alma Kovaci. "Statistics don't matter as much, it is more of an emotional match. I am very proud of the team from coming back from behind to win. Victoria stepped up in the game for us. It was great to see a freshman play like an experienced player. Shannel also stepped up for us with a great service presence and defensively."

West Point improved to 5-3 with the victory and is the first team to defeat a service academy in the 2015-16 season.

Nicole Perri led the offense with 20 kills on 47 attempts for a hitting percentage of .340. Reyer recorded her first career double-double on 12 kills and 11 digs. She also added two key aces and totaled 14.0 points in the win. Carolyn Bockrath was also in double-digits in kills with 11 and led the team in blocks with eight. Jaden Pickell registered six blocks, and Shannell Chong tallied 19 digs. Vanessa Edwards totaled 39 assists, while Alexander Avery dished out 14 helpers.

During the fifth set, Pickell and Bockrath tied things up at 6-6 with a blocking point. Pickell and Rachel Gearon joined together for another blocking point to re-tie the score at 7-7. When the match was tied at 9-9, Perri connected with Edwards for a successful kill to begin the Black Knights' rise to victory.

Bockrath added back-to-back kills then joined with Pickell for a block to claim three straight points. After Air Force called a timeout, the Falcons chipped away at Army's lead and tied the score at 13 all. The Falcons came out to a 14-13 lead before Bockrath tied things up with a kill. Reyer answered an Air Force point with one of her own to tie the match a 15-15. Pickell and Gearon put Army up one with a huge block before Reyer connected with Edwards with a cross court kill to claim the match 17-15.

The Falcons won the first two sets by scores of 26-24 and 25-21. In the first set, Vanessa Wesley had back-to-back kills then was part of a big block play made next to Olivia Fairfield to bring the Black Knights within one at 22-21. Reyer came off the bench to serve when Wesley and Fairfield recorded another block to tie the score at 22 all. Perri chipped in with a cross court kill to put Army up 23-22. Air Force came back with two kills before another successful attack by Perri to force the set to 24-24. The Falcons won the next two points to take the match.

In the beginning of the second set, Bockrath recorded block and kill points to keep Army in the match at a 5-5 score. Reyer registered points to bring the score to 10-9 and then 12-11 in favor of the Cadets. Perri kept the momentum going maintaining the lead at 13-12, but the Falcons claimed the lead and continued to excel to win the set 25-21.

The third set was where the momentum saw a turn in favor of the Black Knights. Wesley and Fairfield were like a wall at the net to help Army take a 12-10 lead. Welsey added another block and kill to maintain West Point's lead at 16-12. Reyer stepped in to gain the Cadet's 19th point of the match. After back-and-forth action between the two service academies, Wesley tabbed another Army point to give the Black Knights a 21-19 advantage.

Gearon returned to the game and added a kill before Army earned a point off a Falcon service error. Perri tallied another Army point to bring the match to 24 all, and then Fairfield earned an ace to take a 25-24 lead. Air Force gained the next two points, but a kill by Reyer kept Army in the game. Bockrath produced a point to push the Black Knights to a 27-26 lead, then an error by the Falcons gave Army the set, 28-26.

In set four, Fairfield gave Army a 20-15 lead before Air Force and Army traded points. Perri converted on a kill and then Pickell and Bockrath earned a block point. Bockrath scored the set point with a kill down the middle to force the game into the fifth set.

The Black Knights held a 15-7 advantage in blocks over Air Force and recorded 57 digs to the Falcon's 54.

The Falcons fell to 2-7 on the season with today's loss. The Black Knights are back in action at Fort Myer Saturday at 1 p.m.

There will be no live stats or video for any match and, due to security restrictions at the Pentagon and Fort Myers, all spectators have already been selected and screened.

For up-to-date information about Army volleyball, please follow @ArmyWP_VB on Twitter and Instagram.