Texas A&M
10-1
Toledo
4-6
Volleyball Returns to Win Column
Sep 16, 2011 | Volleyball
A&M, which had suffered its only loss of the season in a disappointing performance against Xavier earlier in the day, improved to 10-1 as the Aggies outhit Toledo, .275 to .165, and led in kills, 48-38, and blocks, 9-2.
A&M used a 7-0 run to build a 12-8 lead in the opening set. The Rockets (4-6) managed to tie the score at 12-12 and 14-all before an off-speed kill by Kastmo, a kill by setter Allie Sawatzky and an ace by Kastmo put A&M back up 17-14. The Rockets never got closer than two points the remainder of the set.
Toledo, which was outhit .364 to .219 in the set, got within 22-19 following a kill, but a service error and a block by Chelsea Ringel and Lindsey Miller put the Aggies serving for the set. Miller then put down a kill a kill to close out the frame.
Toledo overcame an early five-point deficit in the second set, reeling off strings of points during a 12-3 run to take a 17-14 lead and force an A&M timeout. Miller posted a kill after the timeout and Elise Hendrickson followed with a block and a kill to tie the score at 17. A&M tied the score again at 19-19 but Toledo went on a 3-0 run to build a 22-19 lead.
A&M regrouped after using its second timeout and scored three unanswered points - including two on kills by Kastmo, who had seven in the set -- to tie the score, 22-22. Toledo used its first timeout and then got a kill to end the rally. A kill by Kelsey Black knotted the score at 23-23, but the Rockets blocked A&M's next attack to be serving for the set. Black kept the Aggies alive with a kill, tying the score for the eighth time. Sawatzky followed with a kill, dinking the ball over the Toledo defense to put the Aggies ahead, 25-24. She then teamed with Miller for a block to clinch the win and give A&M a 2-0 lead in the match.
There were 10 ties to start out the third set, the last coming at 13-13. Miller then got a kill on the slide attack, and the Aggies continued to pull away. Leading 17-15, Tori Mellinger got an off-speed kill and Stephanie Minnerly had back-to-back kills during an A&M 4-0 surge. A kill by Sondra Parys, who led the Rockets with 10 kills, ended the rally, but the Rockets could get no closer as the teams exchanged sideouts for the reminder of the stanza, with Mellinger put down the match-winning kill.
Libero Megan Pendergast led all players with 17 digs, and Mellinger pitched in 12. Miller, who had eight kills, took match high honors in blocks with five, and Sawatzky finished with 33 assists and contributed eight kills in the victory.
The Aggies conclude the tournament tomorrow against 18th-ranked Michigan. First serve is slated for 7:30 p.m. (6:30 CT).
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