September 17, 2003
Texas A&M took No. 8 Nebraska to five games at Nebraska Coliseum for the first time since the teams first met at the venue in 1982. In the end, however, the Cornhuskers kept their undefeated home mark against the Aggies intact with a 30-28, 26-30, 26-30, 30-26, 15-9 victory in both teams' Big 12 Conference season opener.
With the win, five-time defending league champion Nebraska won its 71st consecutive regular-season conference match and improved to 9-1 on the season. The Aggies fell to 0-11 all-time in Lincoln and 7-3 for the season.
Nebraska led the entire first game and was up 16-13 when the Huskers went on a 7-1 scoring run to pull ahead, 21-13, and take their largest lead of the game. A&M managed to go on a 5-1 scoring run to cut the lead to four points at 22-18. Nebraska maintained the scoring margin and appeared in control of the game as the Huskers were serving for game point at 29-23 following a kill by Jennifer Saleaumua. A kill by A&M's Beth Skypala, however, returned the serve to the Aggies. After a Husker attack sailed wide, Laura Jones and Melissa Munsch put down consecutive kills to put A&M within two, 29-27. Skypala then put the Aggies within one point with an ace before Anna Schrad ended the game with a kill.
A&M took its first game off the Huskers at Nebraska Coliseum since 1999 by winning the second game, 30-26. The Aggies took their first lead of the match at 2-1 and never trailed for the remainder of the game. A&M took its biggest lead of the game at 25-18 when Jones' serve brushed the back line for an ace. Nebraska cut the lead to three points at 28-25 and 29-26 before Jones put down the game-winning kill.
Game three was tied for the 11th time at 19-19 when A&M pulled away by pounding four consecutive kills - three by Jones and one by Tara Pulaski. The Huskers twice got within two points, the last time at 28-26. Skypala then put the game away with back-to-back kills to give the Aggies a 2-1 lead.
A&M overcame a four-point deficit in the fourth game to knot the score at 20, but the Aggies were unable to pull ahead. The Huskers went on a 6-2 scoring run to regain their four-point advantage at 26-22. The teams exchanged points for the remainder of the game with an A&M service error handing Nebraska a 30-26 win and forcing a fifth game.
Munsch gave A&M a 1-0 lead in the final game with a kill, but it would be the only lead of the game for the heartbroken Aggies as the Huskers outscored A&M 8-2 to build an 8-3 lead. A&M could never get closer than three points as Nebraska closed out the game and the match with an ace.
Jones led the Aggies with 23 kills, and Skypala added a career-high 17 kills and also led A&M with 21 digs. Munsch also reached double figures in kills with 13. She led the team in blocks with four.
Anna Schrad led Nebraska with 20 kills, and Jennifer Saleaumua added 17.
As a team, A&M hit .258 to Nebraska's .235 hitting percentage and also outblocked the Huskers, 9-8. Nebraska led in kills (78-70), and aces (9-4). A&M led in digs 82-75.
The Aggies return to action Sunday, Sept. 21 with a non-conference match at Houston. First serve is at 2 p.m. at Hofheinz Pavilion.