October 21, 2005
Texas A&M (9-9, 2-7 Big 12) concludes the first half of the Big 12 season Saturday when the Aggies take on Texas Tech (10-10, 3-6 Big 12) in Lubbock. First serve is at 7 p.m. at the United Spirit Arena. (A complete release in pdf format is available at AggieAthletics.com.)
The Aggies slipped to 10th place in the league standings after suffering a 30-27, 30-24, 26-30, 30-26 loss to Baylor Wednesday in College Station. The loss, A&M's eighth in the last 10 matches, snapped the Aggies' 11-match winning streak against the Bears and marked the first time Baylor won a match at G. Rollie White Coliseum since 1992.
Tech is eighth in the league standings, a game ahead of A&M. The Red Raiders are coming off a 30-21, 30-24, 25-30, 30-21 loss to No. 16 Texas Wednesday in Lubbock.
A&M is led by senior All-American Laura Jones, who entered the week leading the nation with 5.77 kills per game. She upped the average to 5.85 after posting 28 kills in the 4-game loss to Baylor. With the 28-kill performance, Jones now needs 34 kills to break the A&M all-time career record of 1,777 kills held by Krisitie Smedsrud (1994-97)
Philister Sang leads the Red Raider attack with 4.39 kills per game. Desiree Batista leads in digs with a 3.95 average, and Brianna Florus is tops in blocks with 1.15 per game.
The All-Time Series
Texas A&M leads the series against the Red Raiders, 43-23, including a 14-4 mark in Big 12 matches. The Aggies have won the last four meetings, but the last three matches have gone the maximum five games. A&M is 16-10 all-time in matches played in Lubbock.
Laura Jones led the Aggies in both victories last season, posting a match-high 28 kills at G. Rollie and a team-high 25 kills in Lubbock. Then-senior Kelly Johnson led the Red Raiders with 22 and 28 kills, respectively.
Tech's most recent victory over A&M was Nov. 23, 2002, in Lubbock. The Red Raiders defeated unranked A&M, 3-1, at United Spirit Arena.
Upcoming
Texas A&M begins the second half of Big 12 play against No. 16 Texas on Wednesday at Gregory Gym in Austin. The match will be televised nationally by CSTV beginning at 8 p.m.