November 18, 2000
No. 23 Texas A&M was unable to overcome Texas Tech's attack as the Red Raiders upset the Aggies, 10-15, 15-11, 12-15, 15-9, 15-13, in front of 831 in attendance at the United Spirit Arena.
The teams were tied at 3-3 in Game 1 when the Red Raiders rallied for five points without a sideout. A&M quickly erased Tech's lead as the Aggies countered with seven unanswered points to take a 10-8 advantage. Tech knotted the game at 10-10 following back-to-back A&M attack errors, but the Aggies closed out the game with five unanswered points, including a game-winning kill by freshman middle blocker Tara Pulaski.
A&M opened the second game with four consecutive points and maintained its lead at 8-4. Tech then rallied with eight unanswered points to build its own four-point lead at 12-8. The Aggies got within two at 13-11, but a Red Raider block and an A&M attack error game gave Tech the win and evened the score at 1-1 entering intermission.
In Game 3 the Aggies once again opened with a 4-0 scoring run, but Tech regained the momentum by outscoring A&M 10-2. The Aggies got back within one at 10-9 on a Red Raider attack error and back-to-back kills by Michelle Cole. Following a Tech sideout, Ann Romjue put down a kill and Kate Jury aced a serve to put the Red Raiders ahead, 12-9. The rest of the game was all A&M as A.D. Achilefu came off the bench to spark the Aggies with three kills and two blocks, leading the Aggies to a come-from behind 15 Tech led the entire fourth game, building as much as a nine-point lead at 13-4. A&M twice got within five at 13-8 and 14-9, but a kill by Romjue gave the Red Raiders the win and forced a fifth and deciding game.
With rally scoring in effect, Tech held a 10-8 lead when A&M scored three consecutive points on a Pulaski kill, a block by Christy Clark and Heather Marshall and a Tech kill error. The Red Raiders answered with two kills and two blocks to take a 14-11. Clark and Michelle Cole kept A&M in the match with back-to-back kills to get the Aggies within one at 14-13. But Melissa McGehee put down her 31st kill of the match to give the Red Raiders the victory.
Cole and Pulaski posted career highs in kills with 25 and 20, respectively. Erin Gibson added 19 kills and Marshall chipped in 12. Clark tied her career high with 24 digs as the Aggies tallied a season high 121.
The Red Raiders posted 105 kills, a season high by an A&M opponent. Smith led all attackers with 33 kills.
Tech outhit A&M .265 to .231 and outblocked the Aggies 16 to 13.
The Aggies, who entered the match having won the last five contests in Lubbock, fall to 17-8 overall and 12-6 in Big 12 Conference play, while Texas Tech improves to 23-7 and 11-7.
Texas A&M concludes the regular season next week with two crucial home matches. On Wednesday, Nov. 22, the Aggies play host to Kansas State and then they complete the regular season against rival Texas on Saturday, Nov. 25. A&M's three seniors, Christy Clark, Claire Harvey and Marshall, will be making their final appearance of the regular season at G. Rollie and will be recognized prior to the match. First serve is slated for 7 p.m. for both matches.
The 64-team NCAA Championship bracket will be announced Sunday, Nov. 26 at 7 p.m.