Nov. 22, 2009
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Laurie Corbelli & Middle Blocker Lindsey Miller [mp3] |
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Texas A&M quickly got down to business and efficiently defeated Texas Tech, 25-17, 25-16, 25-17, in front of 1,701 today at Reed Arena.
A&M never trailed in the match, which lasted just under one hour and 10 minutes, as the Aggies outhit the Red Raiders, .306 to .138,to improve to 16-10 overall and 9-9 in the Big 12 Conference.
Texas Tech, still looking for its first conference match in two seasons, drops to 2-25 overall and 0-18 in league play.
A&M freshman middle blocker Sarah Ammerman and Jennifer Banse added nine and eight kills, respectively, and freshman middle blocker Mary Batis also pitched in seven kills and six blocks along with a match-high 12 digs. Senior Kristen Schevikhoven finished with 32 assists despite splitting time with Jola Kelner and moves into sixth in the A&M records with 2,987 career assists.
"Our goal this match was to establish our offense early," A&M coach Laurie Corbelli said. "We really needed to get our middles more effective. Each one has different areas where they really bring a lot of power from a very high point. I thought today was really a good demonstration of the talent that these freshmen have, and I thought the setters did a nice job connecting with them. It certainly helps to open up our outsides when we are able to use our middles that effectively."
Miller gave the Aggies the lead for good at 3-2 in the first set with her first kill of the match and led the Aggies with four kills and zero errors in five attacks as A&M outhit the Red Raiders, .423 to .138, in the frame. Miller also posted the set-winning kill after A&M methodically pulled away throughout the set by consistently reeling off strings of two and three points while allowing Tech to score back-to-back points only twice.
Ammerman and Banse had consecutive kills to begin the second set, and the Aggies never looked back. Miller, who had a team-leading four kills and no errors in four swings in the stanza, gave A&M its biggest lead at 22-11 after Kelner set her up for the kill, and Kastmo later ended the set with her third kill of the set.
Ammerman got a kill to begin the third set and then served back-to-back aces to put the Aggies up 3-0. Tech managed to tie the score at 5-5 and again at 8-8 but was unable to take the lead as the Aggies outscore the Red Raiders, 10-3, to take an 18-11 lead. A&M went on to build what would equal its biggest lead at 22-14 as Kastmo and Kelsey Black teamed for a block. Tech got within five points at 22-17 before a Red Raider attack error and back-to-back kills by Banse and Kastmo clinched the victory for the Aggies.
Barbara Conceicao and Amanda Dowdy led Tech with 10 kills apiece.
"We are excited that we could carry the momentum from the win at Oklahoma into this match and hopefully continue to carry it with us to Colorado," Corbelli said.
The Aggies close out the regular season with a pair of matches this week, taking on Colorado in Boulder on Wednesday and returning home Saturday to play host to Missouri. The match against the Buffaloes begins at 8 p.m. (7 p.m. MST) at Coors Events Center. First serve for the Missouri match is slated for 4 p.m. at Reed Arena. It will be "Senior Day", and A&M's six seniors -- Ammerman, Banse, Batis, Kelner, Schevikhoven and Dylan Faulkner -- will be honored following the match.