October 15, 2004
No. 20 Texas A&M (9-5, 5-3 Big 12) returns to G. Rollie White Coliseum Saturday to host its biggest rival and one of the hottest teams in the country, ninth-ranked Texas. The start time of the second event in the State Farm Lone Star Showdown series has been changed to 3 p.m. (See pdf for complete release.)
At 16-0, the Longhorns are one of four teams in the nation to still be undefeated, and their 8-0 Big 12 record puts them atop the conference standings, along with 8-0 Nebraska.
The Aggies are in a four-way tie with Missouri, Colorado, and Kansas State for third place in the Big 12 after sweeping Oklahoma in College Station on Wednesday.
Series Record: Texas owns a lopsided 50-21 record against the Aggies since 1976, but A&M is 9-7 against the Horns since Big 12 play began in 1996. In addition, A&M has won the last six matches against the Horns in College Station and is 8-1 against Texas in home matches since 1996, including a 3-0 victory over the Horns in the second round of the 2001 NCAA tournament.
The teams have split the season series the last two years with each team winning on its home court. Last year, Texas dropped the first two games but came back to win the match, 29-31, 24-30, 30-21, 31-29, 18-16, in Austin. Mira Topic led the Horns with 22 kills and Bethany Howden added 20. Melissa Munsch had 18 kills to lead the Aggies.
Although A&M led in kills and digs, Texas led in every other positive category, including a 15-4 edge in blocks.
A&M avenged the loss with a 30-15, 30-17, 30-23 thrashing in front of a record crowd of 3,778 at G. Rollie White Coliseum. Munsch had six aces and Laura Jones had 15 kills while hitting at a .560 clip. A&M outhit the Horns, .357 to .126.