Texas A&M
3-3
North Carolina
4-2
A&M Posts Thrilling 3-2 Win over UNC
Sep 04, 2010 | Volleyball
Sept. 4, 2010
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Kelsey Black tallied a match-high 20 kills and Lindsey Miller and Elise Hendrickson each added career highs in kills with 15 and 13, respectively, to help lead Texas A&M to a hard-fought and exciting 21-25, 25-22, 22-25, 25-20, 15-12 victory over North Carolina today at the JQH Invitational at the Hammons Student Center.
"That win was just a total team effort," A&M coach Laurie Corbelli said. "Our blocking started out a little bit shaky, but as soon as we got our blocking disciplined and timed well, everything started to fall into place, from our digging to our transition offense. It was an equal effort from every side of the court, and it was really a very satisfying win given how inexperienced and young we are and having to go five to win against a very experienced and very talented North Carolina team. Any win that this group gets right now is just going to propel our confidence and everything that we do. It was one of the most fun wins we've had in a long time."
It was a much-needed turnaround for the Aggies (3-3), who struggled in all facets of the game in a 3-0 loss to Missouri State Friday night.
"Today we had hitters who were hitting some high percentages, hitting much smarter than we did yesterday," Corbelli said. "We just had a much clearer vision of what was expected and what was needed to beat them. With Hendrickson going in on the left side, I thought she really played some smart and crafty volleyball. I thought our middles worked so hard to get their speed going, and our 17-year old setter, Allie (Sawatzky), just brings a smile to my face every time I watch her play because she does exactly what we ask her to do. She takes chances and she's just consistent in everything she is doing right now. That was a really big match for her."
Sophomore libero Tori Mellinger tied a career high with 24 digs to lead a group of five Aggies to post double figures in digs. Sawatzky, who pitched in 15 digs, finished with 56 assists, and Black and Stephanie Minnerly posted career highs with six blocks apiece as A&M outblocked the Tar Heels, 12-6.
A&M held a three-point lead three times early in the opening set, but three consecutive points by the Tar Heels tied the score at 9-9. UNC tied the score three more times before Heather Henry and Christine Vaughen posted a block to give the Tar Heels their first lead at 15-14.
Back-to-back attack errors by UNC returned the lead to A&M at 16-15, but A&M sent a free ball wide and Henry followed with a kill as the Tar Heels regained the lead, 17-16. The teams traded sideouts and the score was tied at 19-19 when UNC reeled off three unanswered points.
Miller ended the run with a kill and Sawatzky swatted down an overpass to put the Aggies within 22-21, but that would mark the end of A&M's scoring as UNC ripped three kills from the right side to end the set.
UNC built an 8-4 lead in the second set when Black blasted a kill to start a four-point run for A&M. The Aggies tied the score four more times before they took their first at 15-14 on a kill by Black, who had six kills in the set. Sawatzky and Miller followed with a block, and consecutive kills by Black and Miller put the Aggies up, 18-14. UNC scored the next three points to get within 18-17, but A&M answered with a run of three points to go up, 21-17. The Tar Heels got within 22-20 but were unable to overcome the deficit as the teams traded sideouts before Alisia Kastmo had the set-clinching kill.
The Tar Heels led the entire third set after jumping out to a 9-3 advantage and building their largest lead at 18-10. A&M then went on 10-3 run to get within 21-20, but a kill by UNC's Christine Vaughen and a block by the Tar Heels pushed the gap to 23-20. Minnerly had a kill down the line and UNC hit wide to put A&M back within 23-22 before UNC, which outhit A&M .400 to .250 in the frame, posted a block and a kill to win the set and take a 2-1 lead in the match.
UNC had gone on a 4-1 run to build a narrow 6-5 lead early in the fourth set, but A&M reeled off four unanswered points to pull ahead, 9-6. The Tar Heels got within a point five times, the last coming at 20-19 following a UNC three-point rally. A UNC service error returned service to A&M, and Hendrickson got a kill to put A&M ahead 22-19. Mellinger followed with an ace, and Kastmo and Miller put the Aggies at set point with a block. UNC got a kill to get within 24-20 before Hendrickson caromed a kill off the block to end the set and force a fifth set.
The score was knotted at 4-4 in the deciding set when Minnerly posted back-to-back kills and then teamed with Black for a block to put A&M up 7-4. Emily McGee posted a kill for UNC, but Minnerly added another kill and teamed with Kastmo for a block to put A&M up, 9-5. A&M doubled UNC's score at 10-5 following a Tar Heel attack error. A&M then had a service error, but Minnerly got a kill down the block to notch her fourth kill of the set and put the Aggies ahead, 11-6. A kill by Kastmo put A&M up 12-6, but UNC raced back, scoring five consecutive points to get within 12-11. Miller ended the run with a kill on the slide attack, but UNC countered with a kill off the block. Miller, who had six kills in the final frame, then got another kill on a slide and followed with a kill off the block to clinch the victory for the Aggies.
UNC, whose only other loss of the year was against No. 1 Penn State in the season opener, falls to 4-2. The Tar Heels had four players record double-digit kills, including a team-high 15 by Suzanne Haydel. Kaylie Gibson led in digs with 24.
A&M was outhit, .214 to .205, but led in aces, 7-3, including three by Mellinger. A&M also led in digs, 92-81.
A&M concludes the tournament against Ohio this evening at 5:30 p.m. Live scoring of the match will be available at AggieAthletics.com.
