By Hannah Kacarka – Spear Reporter | SJSU junior middle blocker Learden Lee winning the joust at the net against UC Berkeley on Sept. 20, 2026 (Marilyn-Bride Anye – Spear Photographer)
San Jose State University women’s volleyball fell to Air Force Academy 3-2 in a five-set rematch Saturday in Colorado after the Spartans couldn’t capitalize on their high-level defense.
The Spartans also struggled to apply enough service pressure late in the match, allowing the Falcons’ heavy swingers to make impactful plays and ultimately secure the victory.
The Spartans played strong defense throughout the match, handling balls well from the back line and allowing the setters to run a quick offense. They also made an impact at the net defensively with 13 blocks.
Junior middle blocker Learden Lee had a standout match, getting out to the pins and sealing seams to record a season-high 8 total blocks.
The Spartans also totaled 74 digs in the match, with sophomore libero Orian Drore recording 17 and senior outside hitter Naima Foster recording 13. Both continued to lay out to keep the ball alive and extend rallies throughout the match.
However, the Spartans struggled to contain Falcons senior outside hitter Annamaria Ramos, who posted a season-high 16 kills, and junior middle blocker Grace Fiaseu, who also posted a season-high 18 kills and 7 blocks.
“We were the better team throughout the majority of the match, but unfortunately we couldn’t finish,” SJSU head coach Todd Kress said.
The Spartans head into their third conference match against the University of Wyoming at 6 p.m. Thursday at Spartan Gym in San Jose, Calif.
