BYU Downs Air Force in Three Games

PROVO -- After a disappointing road trip in which the Cougars dropped two of three conference matches, No. 17 BYU took out its frustration on visiting Air Force Academy, defeating the Falcons 15-5, 15-1, 15-1 in the Smith Fieldhouse Friday. The win improves BYU's record to 12-5 overall and 4-2 in Mountain West Conference play. Air Force drops to 6-11 overall and 0-6 in conference play.

BYU junior middle blocker Nina Puikkonen tallied 12 kills in the match to lead a BYU offense that registered a .404 hitting percentage on the night. Freshman setter Karina Puikkonen directed the Cougar offense with 17 assists. Freshman Uila Crabbe recorded season-highs with two service aces and five digs in two games.

After the game, BYU coach Elaine Michaelis affirmed the team had accomplished what they intended to do.

"We had a lot of goals that didn't relate to the score as much as to what we did on the court tonight," Michaelis said. "We had a goal to have a good hitting percentage, and we were over .400 for the match."

Michaelis also credited her team's defense with a solid effort in the win. In a match that lasted under an hour, BYU recorded six team blocks and 28 digs. The imposing Cougar front line also held the Falcons to a -.134 team hitting percentage. Air Force freshman outside hitter Delavane Diaz, the conference leader in kills per game (4.26) coming into the match, had just seven kills to lead the Falcon offense.

The Cougars will host New Mexico Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Smith Fieldhouse.

Volleyball Box Score
          AFA Falcons vs BYU Cougars (Oct 13, 2000 at BYU PROVO UTAH)
    AFA Falcons            |     ATTACK      |SET| SERVE |SRV|DEF|  BLOCK |GEN
 ## Name                 GP|  K   E  TA   PCT|  A| SA  SE| RE|DIG|BS BA BE|BHE
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 2  ORTEGA, Ana-Maria...  3|  2   4  10 -.200|  0|  0   1|  0|  1| 0  0  0|  0
 5  REMPEL, Jamie.......  3|  0   2   9 -.222|  0|  0   0|  1|  5| 0  0  0|  0
 10 DIAZ, Delavane......  3|  7   6  29  .034|  0|  0   1|  3|  3| 0  1  0|  0
 11 EDMONDS, Brittany...  3|  1   6  10 -.500|  0|  0   0|  2|  1| 0  0  0|  0
 12 DILDY, Katie........  3|  1   0   4  .250|  4|  0   0|  0|  0| 0  0  0|  1
 13 NIGRO, Christine....  2|  0   1   3 -.333|  0|  0   0|  0|  0| 0  1  0|  0
 3  HUITT, Kristin.....  2|  0   1   2 -.500|  5|  0   2|  0|  0| 0  0  0|  1
 6  BEATTY, Jamie.......  1|  0   0   0  .000|  0|  0   0|  1|  0| 0  0  0|  0
 8  RAIFSNIDER, Brandi..  3|  0   0   0  .000|  1|  1   1|  1|  1| 0  0  0|  0
 9  KOTTE, Sara.........  2|  0   0   0  .000|  0|  0   0|  0|  1| 0  0  0|  0
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals..............  3| 11  20  67 -.134| 10|  1   5|  8| 12| 0  2  0|  2
 TEAM ATTACK PER GAME                               TOTAL TEAM BLOCKS: 1.0
 Game  K  E  TA   Pct
   1   8  7  24  .042   GAME SCORES           1  2  3  TEAM RECORDS
   2   2  6  20 -.200   AFA Falcons.........  5  1  1   6 - 11  0 - 6
   3   1  7  23 -.261   BYU Cougars......... 15 15 15  12 -  5  4 - 2
    BYU Cougars            |     ATTACK      |SET| SERVE |SRV|DEF|  BLOCK |GEN
 ## Name                 GP|  K   E  TA   PCT|  A| SA  SE| RE|DIG|BS BA BE|BHE
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 5  PUIKKONEN, Karina...  3|  3   0   4  .750| 17|  3   0|  0|  4| 0  1  0|  0
 9  PUIKKONEN, Nina.....  3| 12   3  18  .500|  0|  1   0|  0|  1| 0  5  0|  0
 10 BUNDY, Jackie.......  2|  3   2   7  .143|  0|  0   0|  0|  4| 0  1  0|  0
 12 LAYTON, Melissa.....  3|  3   1   9  .222|  0|  0   2|  0|  1| 0  2  0|  0
 14 TONGA, Kalani.......  3|  3   0   6  .500|  0|  2   0|  1|  5| 0  0  0|  0
 15 TONGA, Sunny........  1|  1   0   1 1.000|  2|  0   1|  0|  0| 0  2  0|  0
 2  WHITTAKER, Natalie..  2|  0   1   1-1.000|  0|  0   0|  0|  4| 0  0  0|  0
 3  CRABBE, Uila........  2|  0   0   1  .000|  2|  2   0|  0|  5| 0  0  0|  0
 7  BRINTON, Martha.....  1|  0   0   0  .000|  5|  0   0|  0|  0| 0  0  0|  0
 8  BOWERS, Carrie......  1|  1   0   1 1.000|  0|  0   0|  0|  0| 0  0  0|  0
 11 BARRUS, Alyssa......  2|  2   0   4  .500|  0|  0   0|  0|  0| 0  1  0|  0
 17 OTTESON, Michelle...  1|  0   0   0  .000|  0|  0   1|  0|  4| 0  0  0|  0
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals..............  3| 28   7  52  .404| 26|  8   4|  1| 28| 0 12  0|  0
 TEAM ATTACK PER GAME                               TOTAL TEAM BLOCKS: 6.0
 Game  K  E  TA   Pct
   1  10  4  19  .316   Site: BYU PROVO UTAH (SMITH FIELDHOUSE BYU)
   2   9  1  14  .571   Date: Oct 13, 2000   Attend: 1249   Time: 55 MINS
   3   9  2  19  .368   Referees: KIM PICKERING, KIM NORMAN, KAREN MARSHALL