Texas A&M volleyball falls to top-ranked Texas in four sets
In a nail-biting fight to the finish on Friday night, Texas A&M battled No. 1 Texas to four sets before finally falling, 3-1 (25-22, 25-14, 22-25, 29-27).
The match broke Reed Arena’s record for volleyball attendance, with 6,822 fans taking in the rivalry. The energy in the arena was palpable throughout the contest. As the 12th Man rallied, the volume shook the court.
“This is my fifth year here, and there has never been an atmosphere as alive as tonight. I don’t know if that is because of COVID or what, but it was so cool to see that many people there, and every single point, they were cheering,” said senior setter Camille Conner. “There was not a moment I remember people sitting down, and that is really cool to see as a fifth-year senior.”
Morgan Christon nailed 16 kills and a service ace, while middle blocker London Austin-Roark slammed two service aces and a season-high 13 kills. Libero Macy Carrabine bolstered the team’s defense with 13 digs, and Lauren Davis dished out ten kills.
“I am proud of the way we fought for sure, but we have to play to win and to finish, especially when you have the pressure on them,” said Texas A&M head coach Bird Kuhn postgame. “We’ve now proven who we are and who we can be, and now it’s just being consistent.”
The first set started tight, with neither team able to hold a solid lead. Austin-Roark smashed a kill to tie the score at 14-14, leading the Aggies on a scoring streak that landed them a 20-16 advantage. The Longhorns scored six points in a row, securing the lead. Despite their efforts, the Aggies could not halt the momentum, with the match win going to Texas, 25-22.
Despite the momentum of the first set, the Aggies had a hard time finding a solid rhythm through the second set, and a litany of errors saw them falling behind. The set ended with the biggest gap of the match at 25-14.
“Minimizing those errors is what’s going to take us to the next level, especially against this team,” Austin-Roark said. “You have to match their energy, if not more.”
The Aggies secured a win on the third set, halting the Longhorns in their tracks. A&M held the lead for the first portion of the match, but a six-point run saw the Longhorns ahead, 22-21. After a Texas timeout, kills from Mallory Talbert and Austin-Roark led the Aggies to a run of their own, making quick work of the set and ending it with a 25-22 win.
The fourth set began with a tight score as both teams fought for control, and the Aggies were desperate to prolong the game. After an intense rally at the end of the frame, the Longhorns pulled away to win the match, 27-25, before a challenge by Kuhn brought the Aggies back into the game.
Talbert nailed a kill as the crowd roared, but A&M could not catch up as the Longhorns pulled away, ultimately taking the fourth set, 29-27, to win the match.
The Aggies are set to square off against Alabama in Tuscaloosa this Wednesday, with first serve scheduled for 6 p.m.