November 27, 2004
No. 18 Texas A&M was hoping to do something in its final regular-season match that no other Big 12 Conference team was able to do this year: defeat Nebraska. Instead, the No. 2 Huskers did something no other Big 12 team had done this year: win on the Aggies' home court.
Seven-time Big 12 champion Nebraska improves to 27-1 overall and completes its fourth 20-0 Big 12 season by defeating the Aggies, 30-23, 30-22, 30-28, in front of 1,601 at G. Rollie White Coliseum.
A&M, which entered the match 9-0 in home Big 12 matches, ends the season 18-8 overall and ties Missouri for third place in the conference with a 14-6 mark.
Nebraska's Sarah Pavan was once again unstoppable as she posted 20 kills while hitting .529 to lead the No. 2 Huskers, The 6-5 freshman outside hitter pounded 23 kills and hit .500 when the teams met earlier this season in Lincoln.
"In my opinion, [Pavan] is the [Big 12] player of the year," A&M coach Laurie Corbelli said. "She is the difference maker, and she has talent above all others in this country."
Although A&M was playing without All-American middle blocker Melissa Munsch due to an ankle injury, Corbelli was somewhat disappointed in her team's performance.
"Our execution was not as sharp as it needed to be," A&M coach Laurie Corbelli said. "We lost to ourselves in a lot of ways and didn't do the things we are capable of. It's too bad we didn't bring our best execution tonight to see what would have happened."
The Aggies held a 12-11 lead in the opening frame when their execution fell apart and they made seven consecutive errors. A&M managed to cut the lead to two points five times, the last at 23-21 before Nebraska scored four unanswered points to put the game out of reach.
Nebraska took a 4-3 lead in Game 2 after an A&M attack error and never trailed again as Pavan tallied nine kills in the game. The Huskers held a 20-16 lead when they outscored A&M, 26-17, to take their biggest lead of the game. A&M twice got within seven points before Ally Rebholz once again closed out the game with a kill.
Freshman Kelly Stanton, who replaced Munsch in the lineup and was making her first career start, gave the Aggies a 21-20 lead in Game 3 with one of her career-high six kills, and a Nebraska ball handling error spotted the Aggies a two-point lead. The Huskers tied the score three times before regaining the lead at 26-25 following back-to-back kill errors by the Aggies. Nebraska took a 29-26 lead before a service error and a Pavan attack error put A&M within 29-28. The Aggies were unable to tie the score as Chris Houghtelling ended the game and the match with a kill down the Aggie block.
Nebraska hit .331 for the match and posted 11 blocks. A&M was held to a .217 hitting percentage and a season-low one block.
Laura Jones led the Aggies with 14 kills, and Christi Hahn added 10 kills, while Holly Clay and Kari Kelley led in digs with 11 and 10, respectively.
A&M seniors Munsch, Lindsay Frantz, Carrie Moreira and Sarah Vick, who were making their last scheduled appearance at G. Rollie, were honored prior to the start of the match.
A&M now awaits the announcement of the 64-team NCAA Championship bracket to be broadcast on ESPNews Sunday at 5:45 p.m. The Aggies are expecting to receive their 12th consecutive at-large invitation to the Big Dance.