November 08, 2005
Texas A&M (11-11, 4-9 Big 12) welcomes the top team in the nation to G. Rollie White Coliseum as the Aggies take on No. 1-ranked and undefeated Nebraska (23-0, 14-0 Big 12) Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. (A complete release in pdf format is available at AggieAthletics.com.)
Live audio and video will be available at AggieAthletics.com.
The match features the national kill leader, Laura Jones of A&M, as well as the nation?â„¢s top blocker, Melissa Elmer of Nebraska.
A&M is coming off a 3-1 victory at Baylor last Wednesday. With the win, the Aggies won their second consecutive match and have since moved into ninth place in the Big 12 standings.
The Cornhuskers defeated Iowa State, 3-0, Saturday in Ames to mark their 37th consecutive Big 12 victory, as well as their eighth consecutive three-game sweep. Nebraska, which boasts seven Big 12 titles as well as four undefeated Big 12 seasons since the league began competition in 1996, holds a two-game lead over Texas in the conference race with six matches remaining.
Jones, who became A&M?â„¢s all-time kill leader on Oct. 26, leads the nation with 5.89 kills per game. She also is averaging a Big 12-leading 6.60 points per game. Jones?â„¢ 3.01 digs per game ranks second on the team to senior libero Holly Clay, who is listed second in the conference with 4.17 digs per game. Sophomore Kelly Stanton is the team leader in blocks with a 1.04 average, and senior setter Kari Kelley is averaging 10.95 assists per game.
Nebraska is led by senior middle blocker and two-time All-American Melissa Elmer, who averages a nation-leading 2.27 blocks per game and is ranked fifth in the country and first in the Big 12 with a .426 hitting percentage. Sophomore Sarah Pavan, the 2004 AVCA Freshman of the Year and a first-team All-American, leads the Huskers with 3.75 kills per game while hitting at a .358 clip. Junior Chris Houghtelling and freshman Jordan Larson also are each averaging more than three kills per game -- 3.58 and 3.07, respectively -- while hitting above .300.
The All-Time Series: Nebraska is 22-6 all-time against A&M, including 17-2 since Big 12 play began in 1996. In addition, the Huskers have won the last 12 meetings. In the most recent meeting (Sept. 21), Nebraska played up to its top billing and remained undefeated by knocking off No. 20 Texas A&M, 30-24, 30-21, 30-19, in front of 4,094 at Nebraska Coliseum.
A&M?â„¢s most recent victory over Nebraska was a five-game match on Oct. 2, 1999, in College Station. It was the Aggies?â„¢ second consecutive home victory over the third-ranked Huskers. A&M had also upset No. 3 Nebraska in five games at G. Rollie White Coliseum in 1998. It was Nebraska?â„¢s only conference loss of the season.
Upcoming: Texas A&M continues its three-match home stand Saturday as No. 24 Kansas State comes to College Station for a 1 p.m. match at G. Rollie White Coliseum.