November 16, 2005
Texas A&M won its second consecutive five-game match, coming back from a 2-1 game deficit to defeat Kansas, 32-30, 28-30, 24-30, 30-28, 15-9, in front of 1,003 at G. Rollie White Coliseum.
Kansas, which remains winless in 12 visits to College Station, led in every positive statistical category, but the Aggies managed to come through at crucial times and avenge a 3-0 loss to the Jayhawks in Lawrence earlier in the season.
Laura Jones, A&M?â„¢s all-time kill leader, set another record tonight, posting a match-high 28 kills to give her 377 kills in the Big 12 season and breaking the previous record of 358 which she set last year. The Jayhawks, however, were keying on the outside hitter, and Jones was held to a .145 hitting percentage.
With Kansas focusing on Jones, Aggie setter Kari Kelley, who tied a career high with 59 assists, was able to establish the middle attack where Christi Hahn tallied a career-high 21 kills while hitting at a .526 clip. Middle blocker Kendra Felder added 15 kills, one shy of her career high.
Emily Brown posted a triple-double for the Jayhawks with 25 kills 10 blocks and 10 digs. Josi Lima hit a team-high .404 and added 22 kills, 12 digs and seven blocks for Kansas, and Paula Caten also reached double figures in kills with 14.
A&M tied Game 1 eight times before taking its first lead at 23-22 following a back-row kill by Jones. Kansas tied the score four times, the last coming at 30-all before a kill by Felder and a ball handling error against the Jayhawks ended the game.
There were eight lead changes in the second game. Kansas used a three-point run to retake the lead at 24-22 and built its biggest lead of the game at 27-23. A&M, which was held to a .000 hitting efficiency, cut the lead to a point at 27-26 and 29-28 before Caten got a kill down the line to even the match at a game apiece.
The Jayhawks used a seven-point scoring spurt to build a 13-5 lead in Game 3. A&M could get no closer than two points for the remainder of the game and was trailing 27-24 before Savannah Noyes capped the game for the Jayhawks with three consecutive kills.
Kansas had a six-point rally early in the fourth game to build a 12-8 lead, but A&M managed to retake the lead at 16-15. There were four more lead changes in the game, with A&M taking the final lead at 28-27 on a block by Hahn and Kelley. A service error tied the game for the 11th time, but Hahn put the Aggies serving for the game with her sixth kill of the game. A&M won the game and evened the match when Lima?â„¢s attack sailed wide.
The Aggies, who were coming off a come-from-behind five-game victory against Kansas State on Saturday, scored three consecutive points to take a 9-7 lead in the final game. A kill by Caten ended the rally, but Hahn answered with a kill and a block to spark another three-point run by the Aggies. Jones?â„¢ next attack was wide, but she followed with a kill to the back corner. Felder then clinched the win for A&M, teaming with Kelley on a block and then putting down an errant pass by the Jayhawks for the match-winning kill.
The Jayhawks hit .251 for the match and tallied 81 kills, 76 assists 77 digs, 14 blocks and 99 points. A&M, which hit .238 with 79 kills, 70 assists 75 digs, 10 blocks and 95 points, led in aces, 6-4.
The Aggies improve to 13-12 overall and 6-10 in the Big 12 after winning their fourth match in their last five outings. Kansas had its three-match winning streak snapped and falls to 15-12, 7-11.
A&M faces another crucial match Saturday as the Aggies take on No. 24 Colorado in Boulder. First serve against the Buffaloes, who defeated A&M in five games in College Station earlier this season, is at 8 p.m. (CST).
Short Box:
Texas A&M def. Kansas 32-30,28-30,24-30,30-28,15-9
Kansas (15-12, 7-11 Big 12) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Brown, Emily 25-1-10; Lima, Josi 22-1-7; Caten, Paula 14-1-1; Noyes, Savannah 8-0-6; Hill, Megan 7-0-1; Rozum, Andi 5-1-2; Totals 81-4-14.0. (Assists) - Rozum, Andi 69. (Dig leaders) - Mathewson, Jamie 18; Lima, Josi 12; Wittman, Dani 11; Rozum, Andi 11; Brown, Emily 10; Caten, Paula 9
Texas A&M (13-12, 6-10 Big 12) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Jones, Laura 28-3-2; Hahn, Christi 21-1-5; Felder, Kendra 15-1-4; Bryant, Kelsey 7-0-2; Yon, Lindsey 3-1-0; Kelley, Kari 3-0-3; Burton, Cristin 2-0-1; Totals 79-6-10.0. (Assists) - Kelley, Kari 59. (Dig leaders) - Clay, Holly 20; Jones, Laura 18; Yon, Lindsey 13; Kelley, Kari 8