Texas A&M
16-4; 5-2
Texas Tech
14-8; 0-7
Volleyball Holds Off Tech, 3-2
Oct 19, 2011 | Volleyball
A&M improves to 16-4 overall and 5-2 in the Big 12 as the Aggies post their ninth consecutive win against a much-improved Red Raider team. Tech, which posted an A&M opponent season-high 19 blocks, falls to 14-8, 0-7.
A&M used a 6-1 run to take its first lead of the opening set at 12-8. The Red Raiders were within 20-19 when Kelsey Black got a kill, hitting high off the block. Tori Mellinger and Lindsey Miller then teamed for a block and Mellinger followed with a kill to put the Aggies ahead, 23-19. Tech rallied for four unanswered points to tie the score at 23-23. Miller got a kill on the slide to put the Aggies serving for the set, but Tech countered with a kill to tie the score for the 10th time in the set. A&M then put the set in the books as Hendrickson recorded her fifth kill and Black powered the set-winning kill through a triple block.
Tech, which had not won a set against A&M since 2007, evened the match, taking the second set, 25-21, and snapping a 23-set drought against the Aggies. The Red Raiders were in command early, jumping out to an 11-4 lead. A&M later used a 5-0 run to get within 15-14 and finally tied the score for the first time since 1-1 when a kill by Black from the back row knotted the score at 17-17. Tech got a kill, but Miller countered with a kill and then Hendrickson got a solo block to give A&M its first lead at 19-18. The lead was short lived as Tech rallied for four consecutive points. A&M scored only two points for the remainder of the set -- both coming on Tech errors - before Amanda Dowdy clinched the win for the Red Raiders with her seventh kill of the set.
A&M used a 3-0 run earlier in the third set to build its first lead of the frame at 6-4. The Aggies later went on another 3-0 run to build their biggest lead at 21-13. Tech got within 22-17 when back-to-back kills by Hendrickson and Alisia Kastmo put the Aggies at set point. Tech fought off three set points before serving into the net to end the set and give the Aggies a 2-1 lead in the match.
Tech used an 8-1 rally to take a 9-4 lead in the fourth. The Red Raiders would hold the lead for the rest set, outhitting the Aggies, .323 to .029.
There were seven ties and three lead changes in the fifth set. The score was tied at 8-8 when Tech committed three consecutive errors. The Red Raiders later got within 12-11 before Miller and Sawatzky posted back-to-back kills to put A&M at match point. Tech fought off two match points before Miller recorded her team-leading 18th kill.
Black finished with 12 kills, and Hendrickson had a season-high 11 kills. Alisia Kastmo also finished with 11 kills, and Sawatzky dished out 50 assists.
Megan Pendergast had a match-high 18 digs.
Dowdy led Tech with 22 kills.
Texas A&M returns home on Saturday, Oct. 22 to play host to No. 16 Iowa State. First serve is at 6:30 p.m. at Reed Arena, where the Aggies are 7-0 this season. There will be an autograph session following the match.
A&M will be running several promotions for the ISU match. It will be Camper Appreciation Night, and campers who wear their 2011 Texas A&M Volleyball Camp T-shirt will be admitted free. Club volleyball teams also can receive free admission by wearing their club volleyball shirt, and Honor Roll kids who present the free ticket flier distributed to them at their school also get in free.
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