September 06, 2005
No. 13 Texas A&M spoiled Sam Houston State's home opener with a 30-25, 30-20, 27-30, 30-21 victory in front of 531 at Johnson Coliseum.
The Aggies improve to 6-0 with the win and move within one win of equaling A&M's all-time best start in school history set in 1982.
A&M didn't have one of its better performances of the year and was held to a season-low .196 hitting percentage.
"They served us tough, and we weren't passing especially well, so the rhythm on our offense was pretty broken up," A&M coach Laurie Corbelli said. "We were kind of playing one on six instead of a team on six."
A&M held a 14-12 advantage in the opening game when it went on a six-point scoring run to build its biggest lead of the game at 20-13. SHSU answered with a 5-1 rally to get within 21-18 but could get no closer. SHSU served into the net at 28-25 to put A&M serving for the game. Cristin Burton put down her third kill of the frame to give the Aggies a one-game lead.
SHSU held a 4-3 lead in Game 2 when A&M scored four unanswered points - two on back-to-back aces by Laura Jones - to take its first lead in the stanza. A&M built its largest lead at 27-16 following a three-point rally, forcing the Bearkats to call a timeout. SHSU then answered with two kills and a block. A&M was ahead, 28-20 and closed out the game with a kill by Jones and a block by Kelsey Bryant and Christi Hahn.
Back-to-back kills by Jones and Kelly Stanton gave A&M its first lead in the third game at 12-11. SHSU regained the lead at 14-13 with a block. The Aggies managed to tie the score four times - the last tie occurring at 23 - but were unable to overtake the lead as the Bearkats ended A&M's 17-game winning streak with a 30-27 win.
"I wasn't happy with the intensity level in the first three games," Corbelli said. "We won those first two games, but we lacked some energy that we are used to having, and we weren't creating it.
"They ran a few set plays that we really hadn't seen a lot of, so the blockers were a little thrown off which then throws off the backcourt defense. We had to really work at getting our timing and our position a little stronger on our blocking. Once we did that, things seemed to starting falling for us."
The score was knotted at 7-7 in the fourth game when A&M mounted a 9-1 scoring spurt to build a 16-8 lead. The Aggies reeled off consecutive points multiple times and built their biggest lead at 28-17. SHSU rallied for four unanswered points, but a service error ended the run. Burton then clinched the victory with an ace.
"It was hard for us to get the energy and intensity going," Corbelli said. "Game 4 was when we really challenged the team. This was the time to get the execution and the energy and the intensity level back up to where we know it can be. I was pleased that they were able to come back and find that on the road. That will be something really good that we can take with us."
Jones led the Aggies with 21 kills. Burton added 12 kills, one shy of her career high, and hit a team-leading .369 to earn State Farm Player of the Game. Christi Hahn also reached double figures in kills with 11.
Clay once again led the backcourt defense, tying her career high with 22 digs. Jones had 15 digs, and Kari Kelley added 11.
Alisha Fowler and Chrissy Engle led the Bearkats (1-3) with 12 kills apiece.
The Aggies face their biggest challenge of the season this weekend as A&M takes on No. 6 Florida, LSU and No. 8 Southern California, Fri.-Sun at the UTSA Dome Rally at the Alamodome in San Antonio. A&M opens against the Gators at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. The match will be televised tape-delay by Sun Sports Thursday, Sept. 9 at 7 p.m.
The Aggies face LSU Saturday at 11a.m. and conclude the tournament against USC Sunday at 1 p.m. The tournament is A&M's final tune-up for Big 12 Conference play as the Aggies begin league play at Kansas on Sept. 14.