October 04, 2005
Texas A&M (7-6, 0-4 Big 12) looks to end one streak and continue another when the 23rd-ranked Aggies host No. 19 Texas (9-2, 4-1 Big 12) Wednesday in the State Farm Lone Star Showdown. First serve is at 6:30 p.m. at G. Rollie White Coliseum. A complete release is available at AggieAthletics.com
The Aggies will be attempting to end a five-match losing skid - four of the losses were against teams ranked in the Top 16 - and earn their first Big 12 Conference victory of the season. In addition, A&M will be looking to extend its home winning streak against the Longhorns to eight.
A&M, which will be playing its first home match since a 3-1 setback to then-No. 10 Missouri on Sept. 16, is coming off a 3-0 loss at No. 16 Kansas State on Saturday. The Horns, who swept Oklahoma Saturday in Austin, enter the match riding a three-match winning streak. The streak also includes wins against Kansas and Kansas State, which have both posted victories against the Aggies.
As a team, Texas enters the match leading A&M in every statistical category except digs for both the full season and in conference matches only. A&M leads the league in digs with a 17.04 average.
Individually, Aggie All-American Laura Jones leads the league in kills and points per game for both the full season (5.74 kpg, 6.41 ppg) and in Big 12 matches (5.54 kpg, 6.04 ppg). Her 5.74 kill average also ranks second in the country.
A&M libero Holly Clay is the Big 12 leader with 4.77 digs per game for the full season.
The Longhorns, whose only losses were at then-unranked Notre Dame and at Iowa State, have four players averaging more than three kills per game. Junior middle blocker Brandy Magee leads Texas with a 3.59 kill average, as well as a .436 hitting efficiency which ranks seventh nationally.
THE ALL-TIME SERIES
Texas owns a lopsided 56-22 record against the Aggies, but A&M is 11-8 against the Horns since Big 12 play began in 1996, including an NCAA second-round victory against Texas in 2001. In addition, the Aggies are riding a seven-match winning streak against the Horns in matches played at G. Rollie and are 8-1 overall against the Horns in Big 12 matches played in College Station. Texas has not defeated the Aggies at G. Rollie since a 3-2 victory in 1998.
The teams have split the season series the last three seasons with each team winning on its home court. Last year, Texas came to G. Rollie ranked No. 9 and sporting a 9-0 record. No. 20 A&M, however, posted a come-from-behind 32-34, 30-24, 30-27, 30-21 victory against the Longhorns. Laura Jones led the Aggies with 27 kills while hitting at a .333 clip. Mira Topic led the Horns with 25 kills but was held to a .159 hitting percentage
When the teams met in Austin, Topic led No. 9 Texas with 33 kills and a .328 hitting percentage, and the Horns avenged the earlier loss, defeating No. 13 A&M, 23-30, 40-38, 30-23, 25-30, 15-10.
UPCOMING
The Aggies plays their next two matches on the road, taking on Oklahoma Saturday in Norman and Iowa State in Ames on Wednesday, Oct. 12. The OU match begins at 7 p.m. at McCasland Field House. A&M is 27-1 all-time against the Sooners and has won the last 24 meetings dating back to 1980.
The match in Ames starts at 7 p.m. at Hilton Coliseum. The Aggies are 20-1 all-tie against the Cyclones and have won the last 19 matches dating back to the 1989 season.
A&M returns to G. Rollie Sunday, Oct. 16 for a 2 p.m. match against Colorado.