December 06, 2002
Texas A&M defeated No. 23 Utah, 31-29, 30-27, 30-15, in the first round of the West Regional of the NCAA Championships tonight at the Lyon Recreation Center on the University of Southern California campus.
The Aggies, making their 10th consecutive NCAA appearance, improved to 21-9 overall and kept their 10-year first-round undefeated streak alive since head coach Laurie Corbelli took over the program in 1993.
"Our serving and passing has been something that has been very strong for us in our past wins," Corbelli said. "We knew that would be key tonight, and the team came out focused and carried out the game plan very well."
The Aggies posted 11 aces in the game to equal their second highest ace output of the season. In addition, A&M posted 10 more aces than Utah to post the biggest ace differential of the season.
Despite being outhit, .167 to .157, in the first game, and .350 to .308 in Game 2, the Aggies were able to hold off the Utes in the hard-fought opening games and then ran away with the third game by outhitting the Utes, .276 to .057.
The Utes held a 10-9 advantage in the first game when Melissa Munsch stepped to the service line and served the Aggies to an 18-11 lead. The Utes, however, made a run of their own. Down 20-13, Utah rallied for six unanswered points to get within 21-19.
The Aggies were up, 28-26, but an A&M service error followed by a kill error knotted the score for the eighth time in the game and the first since a 10-10 tie. A Utah free ball went out of bounds to put the Aggies at game point, but A&M's fourth service error tied the score. Munsch followed with a kill and Pulaski put down a kill to give the Aggies a 31-29 win.
The Utes held their biggest lead of the second game at 21-16, but the Aggies came back and tied the score at 23 and took their first lead of the game since a 6-5 advantage when A.D. Achilefu posted a kill. An A&M service error, a Utah kill and an Aggie kill error put the Utes up by two, but Achilefu and Munsch recorded back-to-back kills to tie the score at 26.
Utah went up on a kill, but A&M's Carol Price answered with a kill and an ace to regain the lead for the Aggies. Pulaski then put the game away by putting down an overpass for a kill and then teaming for a block to put the Aggies up 2-0 in the match.
The Aggies ran away with the third game. Up 14-8, Utah scored three on an A&M service error and consecutive kill errors. Laura Jones returned serve to the Aggies with a kill. Pulaski then set a career high by acing four consecutive serves to put the Aggies up 19-11.
Utah was unable to get back into the game and trailed 20-13 when A&M reeled off four unanswered points. The Utes ended the rally with a kill, but Achilefu and Munsch posted kills to build the Aggies lead to 26-14. An A&M attack into the antenna would be the only point the Utes could manage for the remainder of the match as the Aggies closed out the game with four consecutive points, the game winner coming when a Utah free ball following a Julia Rex serve sailed out of bounds.
Jones led the Aggies with 12 kills and a .391 hitting percentage. Munsch (10 kills, 15 digs) Achilefu (10 kills, 11 digs) and each reached double figures in both kills and digs with 10 apiece.
Utah's Kim Turner hit .448 and was the only Ute to reach double figures in kills with 16.
The Utes, who were making their fifth consecutive NCAA appearance, end their season at 25-9.
A&M advances to the second round and plays the winner of No. 25 San Diego vs. No. 1 Southern California Saturday at 7 p.m. (9 p.m. CST) at the Lyon Center.