Sept. 2, 2010
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The Texas A&M volleyball team hits the road for the first time this season as the Aggies head to Springfield, Mo., this weekend for the JQH Invitational, hosted by Missouri State.
A&M opens the tournament Friday against the host Bears at 7:30 p.m. at Hammons Student Center. The Aggies play two matches and conclude the tournament on Saturday, taking on North Carolina at noon and Ohio at 5:30 p.m.
The Aggies are 2-2 after sweeping Sam Houston State Wednesday at Reed Arena. Junior Kelsey Black led the Aggies with 12 kills and also tied a school record for the second time this season with six aces against the Bearkats.
Black is averaging a team-leading 4.29 kills per set and is hitting .309 for the season. Black also is averaging 1.14 aces. Sophomore libero Tori Mellinger leads the Aggies with 3.29 digs per set, and sophomore middle blocker Stephanie Minnerly is averaging a team-best 0.93 blocks per set.
As a team, A&M is hitting .204 and averaging 12.0 kills, 2.29 aces, 11.71 digs and 1.64 blocks per set. Opponents are hitting .160 and averaging 10.0 kills, 0.71 aces, 12.64 digs and 1.57 blocks per set.
Missouri State is 3-0 after winning the Hofstra Classic last weekend. The Bears held off Texas State, 3-2, in the opener and then posted sweeps against both Canisius and Hofstra. Junior middle blocker Calli Norman leads MSU with 3.18 kills per set while hitting at a .466 clip. She also is averaging a team-best 1.18 blocks per set.
As a team, the Bears are hitting .265 and averaging 11.73 kills, 2.0 aces, 12.27 digs and 2.23 blocks per set. Opponents are being held to a .133 hitting efficiency and are averaging 10.18 kills, 0.55 aces, 10.27 digs and 1.55 blocks per set.
North Carolina is 2-1, opening the season with a 3-0 loss to No. 1-ranked and three-time defending champion Penn State, and then rebounded to sweep both Campbell and Villanova at the Carolina Classic.
Senior right-side hitter Courtney Johnson, a preseason All-ACC pick, was named to the all-tournament team after averaging 4.50 kills while hitting .295. As a team, the Tar Heels are hitting .172 and averaging 14.33 kills, 1.22 aces, 19.89 digs and 1.44 blocks per set. Opponents are hitting .102 and are averaging 8.44 kills, 1.22 aces, 15.0 digs and 2.33 blocks per set.
Ohio, which returns four starters plus the libero from last year's NCAA second round team, enters the tournament 2-1, having swept Virginia Commonwealth in the season opener and then defeating North Dakota State, 3-2, before falling at Louisville, 3-2.
Senior outside hitter Sue Jacobi, who had 23 kills in the loss to the Cardinals, leads the Bobcats with 4.85 kills per set.
As a team, Ohio is hitting .252 and averaging 12.46 kills, 1.31 aces, 10.31 digs and 2.38 blocks per set. Opponents are hitting .161 and averaging 9.92 kills, 0.85 aces, 9.92 digs and 2.23 blocks per set.
A&M has won the last four meetings against Missouri State and is 9-6 all-time. The Aggies, who are 2-1 when playing in Springfield, last met the Bears in 2006, and posted a sweep at a neutral site.
A&M is 5-1 all-time against North Carolina and has won the last three meetings. The teams last met in the second round of the 1999 NCAA Championships. A&M defeated the Tar Heels, 15-8, 15-4, 15-8, at G. Rollie White Coliseum to earn a trip to the Honolulu Regional, where the Aggies went on to make their first-ever Elite Eight appearance.
A&M and Ohio will be meeting for the first time
Live scoring of the matches will be available at AggieAthletics.com.