HOUSTON – The Texas A&M volleyball team opened its spring competition season today, defeating TCU, 20-25, 25-22, 15-11 and then falling to host Rice, 24-26, 25-16, 15-12 at Tudor Fieldhouse in Houston.
"For our first competition of the spring, I thought the team energy was awesome," A&M head coach Laurie Corbelli said. "We passed the ball well, and our young setters did a fine job of running the offense. Hollann Hans led the team with solid attacking, but as a team our execution was very inconsistent. As a result we gave up several runs of points at key times during both matches. It was a great evaluation tool for us, and we'll head back to practice and continue to train hard."
Although Corbelli returns 13 letterwinners, Saturday's lineup was young and somewhat inexperienced with outside hitters Kiara McGee and Hans and libero Amy Nettles being the only returners who had seen action in every match last season. In addition, Corbelli was without All-American middle blocker Kaitlyn Blake and three-year starting opposite hitter Ashlie Reasor who are out of the lineup following off-season surgery. The Aggies also were without previous mainstays Jazzmin Babers, a four-year starting middle blocker and the school's all-time block leader, and three-time All-American setter Stephanie Aiple who ended their careers following the 2016 season.
The Aggies, who were running a 6-2 offense with setters Lexi Lopez and Haley Slocum, trailed the entire first set against the Frogs and fell, 25-20.
In the second set in which all available players on the A&M roster saw action, the Aggies fought to tie the match for the first time at 9-9. Three plays later, middle blocker Elli Shadricks gave the Aggies their first lead of the day with a solo block. The Frogs were unable to regain a lead for the remainder of the set.
The frame was later tied, 22-22, before McGee and Hans traded kills to put A&M at set point. Kiana Peroff then closed out the set with a kill.
Miscues caused A&M to fall behind, 6-2, to begin the third set, but the Aggies eventually tied the set at 10-10 as a TCU attack sailed out of bounds. A Shadricks block followed by a kill by McGee and an ace by Slocum gave the Aggies a 13-10 lead. TCU scored a point before Hans closed out the match with back-to-back kills.
In the opening set against Rice, Slocum served an ace to give A&M its first lead at 21-20, but several plays later an A&M service error and a Rice kill put the Owls at set point, 24-22. Following an A&M timeout, Hans got a kill and a block and then tipped in another kill to put the Aggies at set point. A&M then won the set, 26-24, as Rice hit long on the ensuing play.
A&M trialed 16-11 in the second set and was unable to overcome the deficit in a 25-16 loss. In the deciding third set, the Aggies continued to be out of sync at the start and were down, 6-2. A&M then rallied, with Lexi Lopez setting up middle blocker Maddie Douglas for a kill that knotted the score at 6-6. A&M also tied the score at 9-9 but was unable to take a lead as the Owls began to pull away and closed out the match with back-to-back kills.
The Aggies return to Houston and conclude their spring competition schedule on Saturday, April 8 at the FAST Collegiate Invitational. Other teams participating in the one-day FAST tournament are Baylor, Houston, Louisiana, Louisiana Tech, LSU, McNeese, Northwestern State, Oklahoma, Prairie View A&M, Rice, Sam Houston State, Stephen F. Austin, Texas, Texas-Rio Grande Valley, Texas-San Antonio, Texas Southern and Texas State.
Times and opponents at the FAST tournament are to be announced.
Visit 12thMan.com for more information on Texas A&M volleyball. Aggie fans also can keep up to date with the A&M volleyball team on Facebook and on Twitter by following @AggieVolleyball.
"For our first competition of the spring, I thought the team energy was awesome," A&M head coach Laurie Corbelli said. "We passed the ball well, and our young setters did a fine job of running the offense. Hollann Hans led the team with solid attacking, but as a team our execution was very inconsistent. As a result we gave up several runs of points at key times during both matches. It was a great evaluation tool for us, and we'll head back to practice and continue to train hard."
Although Corbelli returns 13 letterwinners, Saturday's lineup was young and somewhat inexperienced with outside hitters Kiara McGee and Hans and libero Amy Nettles being the only returners who had seen action in every match last season. In addition, Corbelli was without All-American middle blocker Kaitlyn Blake and three-year starting opposite hitter Ashlie Reasor who are out of the lineup following off-season surgery. The Aggies also were without previous mainstays Jazzmin Babers, a four-year starting middle blocker and the school's all-time block leader, and three-time All-American setter Stephanie Aiple who ended their careers following the 2016 season.
The Aggies, who were running a 6-2 offense with setters Lexi Lopez and Haley Slocum, trailed the entire first set against the Frogs and fell, 25-20.
In the second set in which all available players on the A&M roster saw action, the Aggies fought to tie the match for the first time at 9-9. Three plays later, middle blocker Elli Shadricks gave the Aggies their first lead of the day with a solo block. The Frogs were unable to regain a lead for the remainder of the set.
The frame was later tied, 22-22, before McGee and Hans traded kills to put A&M at set point. Kiana Peroff then closed out the set with a kill.
Miscues caused A&M to fall behind, 6-2, to begin the third set, but the Aggies eventually tied the set at 10-10 as a TCU attack sailed out of bounds. A Shadricks block followed by a kill by McGee and an ace by Slocum gave the Aggies a 13-10 lead. TCU scored a point before Hans closed out the match with back-to-back kills.
In the opening set against Rice, Slocum served an ace to give A&M its first lead at 21-20, but several plays later an A&M service error and a Rice kill put the Owls at set point, 24-22. Following an A&M timeout, Hans got a kill and a block and then tipped in another kill to put the Aggies at set point. A&M then won the set, 26-24, as Rice hit long on the ensuing play.
A&M trialed 16-11 in the second set and was unable to overcome the deficit in a 25-16 loss. In the deciding third set, the Aggies continued to be out of sync at the start and were down, 6-2. A&M then rallied, with Lexi Lopez setting up middle blocker Maddie Douglas for a kill that knotted the score at 6-6. A&M also tied the score at 9-9 but was unable to take a lead as the Owls began to pull away and closed out the match with back-to-back kills.
The Aggies return to Houston and conclude their spring competition schedule on Saturday, April 8 at the FAST Collegiate Invitational. Other teams participating in the one-day FAST tournament are Baylor, Houston, Louisiana, Louisiana Tech, LSU, McNeese, Northwestern State, Oklahoma, Prairie View A&M, Rice, Sam Houston State, Stephen F. Austin, Texas, Texas-Rio Grande Valley, Texas-San Antonio, Texas Southern and Texas State.
Times and opponents at the FAST tournament are to be announced.
Visit 12thMan.com for more information on Texas A&M volleyball. Aggie fans also can keep up to date with the A&M volleyball team on Facebook and on Twitter by following @AggieVolleyball.