September 30, 2005
Texas A&M (7-5, 0-3 Big 12) ends a 10-day layoff when the Aggies take on No. 16 Kansas State (11-3, 2-2 Big 12) Saturday in Manhattan. The match time has been changed to 1 p.m. at Ahearn Field House. A complete release is available at AggieAthletics.com.
The Aggies, who are mired in a four-match losing skid - three of the losses are against Top-10 teams - and are 0-9 all-time at K-State, have not competed since Wednesday, Sept. 21, when they fell, 3-0, at No. 1 Nebraska. A&M was slated to host Texas Tech on Sunday, Sept. 25, but the match was postponed because of the threat of Hurricane Rita.
The Wildcats, who are 0-3 against ranked opponents, have lost their last two matches, having been swept by both No. 8 Missouri and No. 22 Texas.
All-American Laura Jones leads the Aggies and the Big 12 with 5.72 kills and 6.41 points per game for the full season and entered the week ranked sixth in the nation in kills per game. The senior had 15 kills against No. 1 Nebraska to move into second in the A&M records with 1,593 career kills.
Aggie senior libero Holly Clay also leads A&M and the Big 12 with 4.90 digs per game for the full season.
Senior opposite Agata Rezende leads K-State and is ranked fifth in the Big 12 in both hitting percentage (.376) and kills per game (4.17). Junior middle blocker Joy Hamlin is the team leader with 1.51 blocks per game and is second on the squad with a .359 hitting efficiency.
A&M is hitting .230 as a team for the full season and averaging a league-leading 17.64 digs per game. In addition, A&M is averaging 1.71 aces and 2.68 blocks per game, while opponents are hitting .180 and averaging 14.1 kills, 15.55 digs and 2.69 blocks per game.
In Big 12 matches only, A&M is being outhit, .296 to .169. The Aggies are averaging 14.5 kills, 15.7 digs and 2.75 blocks per game in league games, and opponents are averaging 18.8 kills, 17.8 digs and 3.75 blocks per game.
K-State, which was outhit, .177 to .093 against Texas on Wednesday, is hitting .254 for the full season and is averaging 15.81 kills, 13.62 digs and 2.92 blocks per game. Opponents are hitting .194 and averaging 14.33 kills, 13.98 digs and 2.68 blocks per game.
K-State leads the all-time series, 11-8, including 9-0 in matches played in Manhattan. Last year, the Wildcats swept A&M in Manhattan to extend their winning streak to six against the Aggies. No. 18 A&M ended the skid by defeating KSU, 3-1, in College Station on Nov. 24. The Aggies made an incredible comeback in the fourth game to defeat No. 23 Kansas State, 30-27, 30-27, 27-30, 30-28, in front of 1,211 at G. Rollie White Coliseum.
UPCOMING: A&M returns home to host No. 22 Texas in the State Farm Lonestar Showdown, Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 6:30 p.m. at G. Rollie White Coliseum.