October 22, 2005
Texas A&M's comeback attempt against Texas Tech fell short as the Aggies dropped a 30-28, 30-25, 28-30, 27-30, 17-15 decision to the Red Raiders at the United Spirit Arena.
A&M falls to 9-10 overall and concludes the first half of the Big 12 Conference schedule with a 2-8 record despite leading the Red Raiders in hitting percentage (.256 to .230), digs (70 to 55) and blocks (14.5 to 11.0). Tech snaps a four-match losing skid against the Aggies and improves to 11-10, 4-6.
The Aggies scored two consecutive points to take a 12-11 lead in the decisive fifth game. The teams traded sideouts before Lindsey Yon put the Aggies serving for the match with her career-high 16th kill of the match. A service error and an attack into the antenna put Tech ahead, 16-15. Amy Charlebois then clinched the match for the Red Raiders with her 20th kill of the match.
Laura Jones led the Aggies with 26 kills in the match, putting her within eight kills of breaking the A&M all-time career kill record of 1,777 set by Kristie Smedsrud (1994-97). Christi Hahn also reached double figures in kills for A&M with 17.
Defensively, A&M's Holly Clay tied her career-high in digs with a match-high 28. Kelly Stanton led the Aggies in blocks with seven.
Philister Sang led Tech with 29 kills, and Kiley Lyons and Brianna Florus added 11 and 10, respectively. Desiree Batista led the Red Raiders in digs with 16, and Florus led in blocks with seven.
A&M came back from a three-point deficit in Game 1 to take its third lead of the game at 23-22. The Aggies, who were unable to build more than a two-point lead throughout the frame, lost the lead when Tech answered with three consecutive points. A&M managed to tie the score at 28, but a Red Raider kill on an off-speed shot followed by a block ended the game.
A&M came up short in Game 2, unable to take the lead after allowing Tech to take a 19-12 advantage following a seven-point Red Raider run. The Aggies came within a point after Yon and Hahn had two kills apiece during a 6-0 A&M run. Tech ended the rally with two consecutive kills. The Red Raiders continued to hold the lead at 28-25 and ended the game with a kill and an ace.
There were 13 ties and six lead changes in the third game. The lead changed for the final time when a Tech attack into the net gave A&M a 23-22 edge. The Red Raiders tied the score at 23 on a kill by Sang but were unable to take the lead. A&M maintained a narrow edge at 29-28 before Hahn closed out the frame with a kill.
A&M struggled with errors early in the fourth game and Tech took its biggest lead at 19-15 following three consecutive A&M attack errors. The Aggies answered with an 8-3 run to take a 23-22 lead. Tech tied the score at 23 and 24 before back-to-back kills by Yon put A&M ahead, 26-24. Tech was within a point three times, the last coming at 28-27 before Hahn put down a kill and Jones and Stanton teamed for the game-winning block to send the match to the fifth game.
It marked the fourth consecutive match an A&M-Tech match was decided in five games.
Up next for the Aggies is No. 16 Texas Wednesday in Austin. First serve at Gregory Gym is 8 p.m., and the match will be nationally televised by CSTV.