Game Preview
Texas A&M University. Why not us? WHY NOT US? Against all odds, our Texas A&M Fightin' Texas Aggies advanced to the NCAA Volleyball National Championship Sunday afternoon after defeating another number 1 seed Pitt in a dominant 3-0 sweep. The Aggies historic run continues on and the next team in our way from forever etching our name into history is fellow SEC foe Kentucky.
This tournament run has been nothing short of legendary. We earned a 3 seed after a 22-3 regular season. We defeated Campbell and TCU in the first two rounds in Reed Arena advancing to the sweet 16. The Aggies then faced one of volleyballs most dominant teams in recent history and took down 2 seed Louisville in a reverse sweep (winning sets 3, 4, and 5). We then found our way against the overall number 1 one seed the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the elite eight. No one gave us a chance, no one outside of Aggieland believed we can take down the 33-0 national favorites. Yet we did. The Aggies win the first two sets, and capped it off in the 5th to advance to the first final four in Texas A&M's history.
Pitt Recap
The covered final four. History had been accomplished, we were in a place no other Aggie volleyball team had ever been. But as Jamie Morrison said "we are not done yet." The Aggies and the 12th Man marched into Kansas City, the underdogs once again. Another 1 seed favored to take down "the underdog Aggies". Pitt was in its 5th straight final four, however, they had lost every single one of them. Led by reigning national player Olivia Babcock, Pitt was set for the challenge.
However, the resilient Aggies would not back down. Set 1 was a back and forth affair that saw 16 ties and 4 Aggie set points. Behind some strong serving by Maddie Waak and Kyndal Stowers, the Aggies battled Olivia Babcock and Brooke Bayless. It was 26-25 before a service error and an easy ball were sent over giving Pitt a set point at 27-26. Momentum had shifted, but Kyndal Stowers gets a huge kill to tie before Tatum Thomas comes in and records an Ace. Now on its 4th set point, Tatum Thomas sends over another strong set and the Aggies get the ball back. Addi Applegate bumps a set over to none other than Kyndal Stowers for the kill to take set 1 29-27. Grit.
The Aggies won set 1 of the final four and now came a wild set 2. After an insane challenge call confirmed giving Pitt a point after we hit the line early in the set. The Aggies would respond back to go on an 11-7 lead (ball don't lie). However, chaos would ensue as Pitt would go on an 8-0 run behind Izzy Masten serving and multiple net violations as well as multiple hitting errors by Texas A&M. When the BAS creeps in and we as fans start to panic, the girls continue to show their grit and fortitude with a 7-1 run of their own to go up 18-16. After a Pitt run tying it as 21, the Aggies would finish the set strong with a 4-0 run to win the set 25-21.
The belief of something more is creeping upon the 12th man, we are one set away from a chance to win it all. Pitt would make adjustments and lineup changes that sparked a strong start to set 3. Up 10-7, the senior ran Aggies would need a run. With Waak at the service line creating 2 aces, the Aggies would respond with 5 straight to go up 12-10, then another run would push it to 17-13. Pitt with their season on the line, would not go down without a fight tying it at 18. However, it was all Texas A&M after that. With some huge kills from our middle blockers and a huge block as well the Aggies would get to match point up 24-20. A point away from the national championship, a great serve by Kyndal Stowers forces a tip ball by Pitt over the net. A great pass to Waak who would then run a quick set to Ifenna Cos-Okpalla who deflated the ball in the middle of the court and cheers and smiles were upon all Aggies everywhere.
The Aggies would sweep Pitt and tackle one another on the court as Aggies everywhere threw their fists in the air and exhaled. Volleyball is such a quick back and forth affair, there's little time to breathe. But when that lost ball hit the ground Aggies everywhere felt at ease because it was time to celebrate. A historic feat had already been accomplished in just getting to the final four, but why stop there. The Aggies have already taken down a 2 seed and back to back number 1 seeds. We weren't supposed to be in this spot, but we took it and now we're here. Get used to it volleyball world.
National Championship Preview
The giant slayers are now face to face with one more giant. A third straight number 1 seed, the SEC Champions, the 31-3 Kentucky Wildcats. After taking down Wisconsin in a thrilling 5 set match, Kentucky advanced to the national championship in an all SEC battle. One by one the Aggies have knocked off 3 straight volleyball powerhouses, now it's time for one more. Kentucky won a national championship in 2020 and have been to 20 straight tournaments, 9 sweet sixteens, 3 elite eights, and 2 final fours. They have also won 9 straight SEC championships. They are going for their second national title.
The Aggies and Wildcats faced off in early October. Despite only the 5th game in conference play, the stakes were high and it felt like a postseason match in Reed Arena. The Aggies came out swinging and took set 1, before Kentucky answered back and won set 2 after a 21-14 lead. Set 3 would continue as sorts with Kentucky just shutting us down and winning the set 25-15. Come set 4 the Aggies controlled the set and were looking like a set 5 would be on its way. The Aggies would go up 23-21 but Kentucky would answer and tie it up at 23. We'd get a set point but Kentucky answered. A Kentucky challenge gave them the 26-25 advantage, they then would finish the match at 27-25.
In that match we struggled mightily offensively with poor hitting. We hit way too many balls out or got blocked. We couldn't contain their two dominant outside hitters #7 Eva Hudson and #17 Brooklyn DeLeye. They also forced a lot of tips on us that we struggled to recover. The Aggies only had 5 blocks through the entire 4 sets. Ifenna only had 3 kills on 13 swings.
This is a new Aggie team that's playing a whole lot better since then. Our block has improved tremendously as the season has gone. It will be extremely vital Sunday. Kentucky will live and die with Hudson and DeLeye. They do also have a weapon in 6'6 middle #15 Lizzie Carr, but their dynamic duo get so many of the swings. They combined for 43 kills against us last time out and 44 last night against Wisconsin. They run a fast tempo led by freshman setter #6 Kassie O'Brien of Katy Cinco Ranch. They have one of the nations best liberos in #12 Molly Tuozzo who flies all over the court.
Kentucky isn't really a strong serving team at all. They are going to beat you straight up with quick setting and powerful hitting at the pins. The difference between this match and the last time we went head to head is the Aggies are serving much much tougher and the block is becoming absolutely dominant. We are much better suited to face this team and I really like our chances.
Why Not Us?
The national championship. The Aggies are in the national championship. Tournament runs are what make this sport. Some are short lived, some will be talked about for years and years, while a select few will etched into the history books and place you upon eternal glory. Only two teams get a chance to fight for it all. We fought and earned our way to do so Sunday afternoon.
This team is special, this collection of amazing women is rare. 9 seniors: Logan Lednicky, Ifenna Cos-Okpalla, Ava Underwood, Lexi Guinn, Morgan Perkins, Maddie Waak, Emily Hellmuth, Tatum Thomas, and Taylor Humphrey, these 9 women, 4 of which have been here their entire college careers, have exemplified what being an Aggie is. Think of all the memories they've given us, the highs, the lows, the wins, the losses. Think of how many times we've watched them play in Reed Arena. Lednicky, Cos-Okpalla, Underwood, and Guinn committed to our school over 5 years ago. The rest have been here 2 plus years. All of them have their Aggie rings, most of them graduated, the rest will in May. We only have once single chance to see them play in a Texas A&M jersey. One last game. It could've been an emotional exit in an early round or it could've been an exit in a match where 99.9% of the country expected us to lose. But no, it's in the national championship game.
One last game, but this one's for everything. 2 teams going blow for blow to be the last one standing. One will have confetti falling all over them, smiles, wearing oversized championship t-shirts, while the other team exits the courts with goodbyes and tears falling just oh so close to greatness.
Jamie Morrison in 3 years, has put together something special. He has some amazing coaches along side him, some amazing support staff, and one hell of a team. We often talk about the great Aggie teams across all sports. This is one now. Enjoy it while you can. We all chose this school or chose to be a fan for different reasons. Some grew up bleeding maroon, some used it for an education, some have family who went here, no matter how we're affiliated to this place, one thing for certain is how much it means to us and the pride we take in that logo and that maroon color. We have a shot at something beautiful Sunday, let's give these girls and this team everything we have and let's go get a national championship.
To the new fans who tuned into volleyball for the first time last week or even today, to the longtime volleyball savants, to Aggies who love any and all Aggie sports, to the volleyball alumni, to Aggie fans everywhere, greatness and resilience was witnessed. These ladies have showed their grit and their determination on this tournament run. While all we've accomplished is historic and legendary, the job's not done. There is one more roadblock on the way to volleyball immortality. This team is something special, this team has what it takes. One more game stands between us and hoisting that trophy. Sunday afternoon is going to be a beautiful day to be an Aggie, and an unfortunate day to be a Kentucky Wildcat. I do these things and write and write because I love Texas A&M and I love this team. It's been an honor getting to know you all and trying to help grow this sport and this fanbase. I love and appreciate you all. It's been a hell of a year, but we got one more game to go win and nothing is stopping us. It's time to go beat the ever living ever loving compound complex HELL OUT OF kentucky!!!!!
