November 17, 2001
The 22nd-ranked Kansas State Wildcats held off No. 13 Texas A&M for a 33-31, 31-29, 18-30, 26-30, 15-10 upset in front of 4,889 at Ahearn Field House.
With the victory, the Wildcats improve to 18-7 overall and 14-5 in the Big 12 Conference to pull within a half game of the second-place Aggies. A&M, who remains winless in six trips to Manhattan, falls to 21-5, 14-4.
The loss overshadowed a career performance by A&M senior setter Jenna Moscovic, who posted her nation-leading fifth triple-double of the season with a career-high 13 kills, 55 assists and 11 digs. Brandi Mount led the Aggies with 20 kills, and Tara Pulaski added a season-high 15 kills. Erin Lechler and Michelle Cole also reached double figures in kills with 11 apiece.
A&M had three players post 20-plus digs, led by Lechler’s 25. Achilefu added a career-high 22 digs, and Cole had 21 as A&M out-dug the Wildcats, 108 to 85.
K-State narrowly out-hit A&M, .221 to .215, but doubled the Aggies in blocks, 16 to eight.
K-State led for much of the first game until A&M fought back to tie the score at 20 on a block by Pulaski and Mount. The Aggies took their first lead of the game at 25-24 on a kill by Cole. She followed with another kill to give A&M its biggest lead of the game at 26-24. K-State answered with three consecutive points to regain a 27-26 lead. Cole tied the game with her sixth kill of the game. The teams then exchanged points until A&M tied the score at 29 on a kill by Pulaski. Lechler followed with a kill to put A&M serving for game point, but Liz Wegner posted a kill for the Wildcats to tie the score for the eighth time. A&M was once again serving for the game following a Pulaski kill, but the Aggies then committed back-to-back attack errors to give K-State the lead. The Cats then ended the game with a kill.
K-State jumped out to a 3-0 lead in Game 2 and held an 8-4 advantage when A&M rallied for six points to take a 10-8 lead. The Wildcats tied the score at 11 and took the lead at 12-11 on consecutive kills.
There would be 11 more ties and five lead changes throughout the remainder of the game. With A&M leading, 24-22, K-State scored four consecutive point to go up, 26-24. A&M reeled off four straight points to regain the lead at 28-26, but a Wildcat kill and back-to-back blocks gave K-State a 29-28 advantage. A kill by Mount tied the score, but Wegner closed out the game with back-to-back kills.
The Aggies never trailed in Game 3. With the score tied at 6-6, A&M took the lead for good when the Wildcats, after digging an A&M attack, stood and watched the ball fall to the floor. A&M pulled away and was leading 27-17 when Pulaski registered a kill to put A&M serving for the game. Jayne Christen prolonged the game with a kill, but Pulaski came back with her fifth kill of the game to giveA&M the win.
A&M tied the match at two games apiece by taking Game 4, 30-26. K-State held a 13-12 lead, but a Wildcat kill error tied the score. Lechler served an ace to give A&M the lead for good. A&M built its biggest lead of the game at 28-22. K-State got within three points at 29-26, but Moscovic put down a kill to end the game and send the match to a fifth game.
The Wildcats, who finish their home season with a 12-1 mark to tie a school record, never trailed in the deciding game. With the score tied at 8-8, K-State went on a 5-0 run to take a commanding 13-8 lead. Lechler ended the rally with a kill, but an A&M attack into the net put the Wildcats serving for the match. Mount regained serve with a kill, but Wegner put down her 19th kill of the game to end the match.
Jenny Pollard led the Wildcats with 20 kills. Jayne Christen had a match-high nine blocks, and Wegner led K-State in digs with 18.
A&M wraps up the regular season next week with home contests against Texas on Wednesday and Texas Tech on Saturday. Both matches begin at 7 p.m. at G. Rollie White Coliseum. The five Aggie seniors, Cole, Lechler, Moscovic, Mount and Beth Weynand, will be recognized prior to the match against the Red Raiders.