August 30, 2003
Laura Jones was named Most Valuable Player as she led Texas A&M to a 30-26, 30-25, 30-23 victory over Duke and the championship title at the Duke Invitational at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
The Arlington, Texas, native posted her third consecutive double-double with match highs of 21 kills and 17 digs. She was joined on the all-tournament team by Aggie teammates Melissa Munsch (Columbus, Texas), who averaged 3.5 kills and 4.3 digs per game, and Carol Price (Fenton, Mich.), who led the Aggies with a .510 hitting efficiency for the tournament.
"It feels great to have swept the tournament and see the improvements with each match," A&M coach Laurie Corbelli said. "Laura was hands down the MVP with her backcourt play, her serving and passing and no one could stop her on her attack."
The Aggies opened the match by scoring the first five points and eventually building a game-high 11-point lead at 18-7. A&M held a 23-15 advantage when Duke went on a 7-2 scoring run to get within four points at 26-22. Jones then connected on back-to-back kills, and Beth Skypala (Amarillo, Texas) had a kill from the back row to put A&M ahead, 28-22. The Blue Devils ended the run with a kill, but Jones answered with a kill to put the Aggies at game point. Duke fought off three game points to get within 29-26 before Jones put down her seventh kill for the game winner.
There were four lead changes and six ties in the second game. The final tie occurred at 7-7 when A&M outscored the Blue Devils, 6-1, to take the lead for good. A&M took its biggest lead of the game at 21-15. Duke got within three points six times, the last coming at 28-25. Jones recorded her eighth kill of the second game following a Duke overpass to put A&M at game point, and Tara Pulaski (Encinitas, Calif.) finished the game with one of her 10 kills of the match.
A&M never trailed in the final game and eventually built a game-high eight-point lead at 24-16. Duke got within four points at 26-22 but was unable to overcome the deficit as Munsch put down two kills and teamed with Lexy Beers (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) for a block to put the Aggies at match point.
Duke ended the run with a kill, but Jones put down a kill to end the match.
No Duke player posted double figures in kills, and A&M outhit Duke, .302 to .209 as the Blue Devils fell to 0-3.
The Aggies (3-0) go for their second consecutive tournament title next weekend as A&M participates in the Michigan/Pepsi Challenge, Sept. 5-7, in Ann Arbor, Mich. The Aggies open against No. 22 Louisville on Friday at 3:30 p.m .(CDT) at Cliff Keen Arena. A&M takes on the host Wolverines on Saturday at 6 p.m. and then concludes the tournament against Murray State at 10a.m.