Texas A&M
9-11 (3-7Big 12)
Oklahoma
15-6 (7-3Big 12)
Aggies Fall to Sooners in Five Sets
Oct 20, 2010 | Volleyball
Oct. 20, 2010
NORMAN, Okla. - Texas A&M had four players post double figures in kills, but it wasn't enough as the Aggies fell to Oklahoma, 25-22, 20-25, 25-20, 24-26, 15-10, tonight at McCasland Field House.
Kelsey Black led the Aggies for the 20th consecutive match with 19 kills and also led all players with 17 digs. Freshman setter Allie Sawatzky had a career-high 12 kills while hitting at a .588 clip and also pitched in 46 assists. Lindsey Miller also added 12 kills, and Stephanie Minnerly had a career-high 10 kills and led all players with six blocks.
A&M began the match by tying the score four times before taking its first lead since the opening point at 15-14. Oklahoma then went on a 3-1 run to retake the lead at 17-16, but a back-row kill by Black evened the score at 17-17. The teams continued to exchange kills and the score was tied for the 11th time at 20-20 before the Sooners reeled off four unanswered points and were serving for the set. Minnerly kept the Aggies alive with a kill, and Elise Hendrickson followed with a kill after a long rally to put A&M within 24-22 before Sarah Freudenrich ended the set with a kill.
A&M, which was outhit .250 to .184 in the opening set, outhit the Sooners, .242 to .118 en route to winning the second set, 25-20 and evening the match at a set apiece. OU held a 3-2 lead when A&M scored three consecutive points to take its first lead at 5-3. The Aggies later used another three-point rally to build their biggest lead at 17-12. OU called a timeout and later got within 21-20 before A&M closed out the set on a four-point run behind the serving of Black and a set-clinching kill by Chelsea Ringel.
The Sooners jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the third set, but A&M fought back and eventually got within 19-18 following a kill and an ace by Ringel. The Aggies were unable to take the lead, however, and were trailing 21-19 when the Sooners went on a 4-1 run to end the set.
There were 11 ties and four lead changes in the fourth set. The Aggies equaled their largest lead at 16-12 when OU scored four straight points to tie the score. The Sooners later took their first lead since 3-2 at 18-17. A kill by Black and a kill by Miller on an OU overpass returned the lead to the Aggies, 19-18. The score was later tied at 23-all when Black posted her sixth kill of the set to put A&M serving for the set. OU's Caitlin Higgins countered with a kill, but Minnerly and Hendrickson teamed for a block to put A&M at set point for the second time. A&M then clinched the set as OU's attack by Morgan Reynolds sailed wide.
A&M, playing in its seventh five-set match this season, fell behind early in the fifth set as the Sooners jumped out to a 7-2 lead. The Aggies made a late rally behind the net play of Miller, who had three kills and a solo block during a 5-1 run by A&M that put the Aggies with 12-10. That would be the closest A&M would get as OU scored three consecutive points to end the match.
OU outhit A&M, .500 to .143 in the deciding fifth set and .278 to .224 for the match. Suzy Boulavsky led the Sooners with 20 kills.
A&M, 2-5 in five-set matches, concludes the first half of Big 12 Conference play at 3-7 and drops to 9-11 overall. Oklahoma improves to 7-3 in league play and 15-6 overall.
A&M begins the second half of Big 12 Conference play on Saturday as the Aggies play host to the Colorado Buffaloes at Reed Arena. The start time, originally slated for 6:30 p.m. has been changed to 3 p.m. to allow Aggie fans the opportunity to also watch the A&M-Kansas football game, which will be televised on FSN at 6 p.m. from Lawrence, Kan.
It will be Camper Appreciation Day at the Colorado match, and anyone wearing an A&M Volleyball Camp T-shirt will be admitted free. In addition, Aggie volleyball players will hold an autograph session for all fans following the match.
