USAF ACADEMY -- Sophomore outside hitter Sunny Tonga recorded 14 kills and junior middle blocker Jackie Bundy added 11 to lead No. 14 BYU to a 15-3, 15-7, 15-7 defeat of Air Force at the Academy's East Gym.
The Cougar defense tallied 22 block assists, with Tonga and Bundy adding six apiece, on the way to their eighth straight Mountain West Conference win. The victory improves BYU's overall record to 19-6, and gives the Cougars an 11-2 mark in conference play.
BYU coach Elaine Michaelis was pleased with her team's performance, especially the play of several reserves who saw significant action in the win.
"We played well tonight," Michaelis said, "and we played with a lot of energy. We also had an opportunity to play a lot of different people tonight, and they responded to the opportunity."
Sophomore setter Martha Brinton, who came in midway through the second game, tallied 37 assists on the night, and freshman middle blocker Carrie Bowers recorded a career-high six kills on 11 total attacks in just one game's work.
Air Force jumped out to a 3-1 lead early in the first game, only to see the Cougars rally back to score the next 14 points and take the game. BYU opened up a 5-0 lead in the second game, and led comfortably throughout. The Falcons held a 3-2 lead early in the third game, but BYU pulled away late in the game with Tonga serving the last three points to seal the victory.
BYU wraps up regular-season play Friday with a trip to Albuquerque, N.M. to face the Lobos at 7 p.m. in the Johnson Center.