August 30, 2002
The 17th-ranked Texas A&M volleyball team opened the 2002 campaign with a 30-16, 30-15, 30-19 victory over the Alcorn State Lady Braves Friday at the McDonald's/Aggie Invitational I at G. Rollie White Coliseum.
The Aggies won their 10th consecutive home match dating back to last season. The Lady Braves, who dropped a five-set match to UT-San Antonio earlier in the day, fell to 0-2 on the young season.
Alcorn State opened the match by scoring the first four points, as the Ldy Braves eventually took a 5-2 lead. With Aggie sophomore setter Lexy Beers behind the service line, A&M rattled off five consecutive kills to take a lead they would not relinquish. Alcorn State got no closer than four points the rest of the way as the Aggies won their first game of the year, 30-16. Sophomore outside hitter Melissa Munsch paced A&M with a game-high six kills.
Leading game two by a point at 9-8, A&M went on a 17-3 run to put the game out of reach. Junior middle blocker Tara Pulaski notched three kills and three blocks during the run as the Aggies cruised to a 30-15 win.
Five kills by preseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year Laura Jones to start game three helped A&M jump out to a quick 7-1 lead. The Aggies led by as much as 11 points before closing out the match with a 30-19 win.
Jones led the way for Texas A&M with a team-high 14 kills and no errors and a .583 attack percentage. Munsch and Pulaski posted 10 kills apiece.
As a team, A&M out-hit Alcorn State .398 to .092 while posting five blocks to the Lady Braves' two.
In earlier action, Texas-San Antonio opened the tournament by coming from two games down to defeat Alcorn State, 25-30, 26-30, 30-20, 30-21, 15-9. The Roadrunners then lost, 30-26-30-17, 30-25, to LSU
The Aggies return to action at 6 p.m. tonight against UTSA, followed by LSU vs. Alcorn State at 8 p.m. The tournament concludes Sunday with A&M facing LSU at 2 p.m.
McDonald's/Texas A&M Invitational I Results
UTSA def. ASU, 25-30, 26-30, 30-20, 30-21, 15-9
LSU def. LSU, 30-26, 30-17, 30-25
A&M def. ASU, 30-16, 30-15, 30-19