Volleyball Suffers 3-1 Setback at Ole Miss

Sunday, November 12

Oxford, Miss.

2 p.m.

Texas A&M

7-14, 4-10

Ole Miss

16-12, 7-8

Texas A&M

Ole Miss

Photo by: Glen Johnson/Texas A&M Athletics

Nov 12, 2017 | Volleyball

Box Score Box Score (Ole Miss 3, A&M 1)

By: Texas A&M Media Relations

OXFORD, Miss. – Texas A&M won the opening set but Ole Miss came back to win the next three to take a 22-25, 25-21, 25-22, 25-20 victory over the Aggies today at the Gillom Sports Center.

The Aggies fall to 7-14 overall, including 4-10 in Southeastern Conference matches, as they suffer their fourth consecutive loss. Ole Miss improves to 16-12 overall and 7-8 in the SEC matches and completes the season series sweep against the Aggies.

Senior outside hitter Kiara McGee led the Aggies with 18 kills and recorded her second double-double of the season as she also contributed 11 digs. Junior middle blocker Kaitlyn Blake tied her season high with 12 kills, and sophomore outside hitter Hollann Hans also pitched in 12 kills. Freshman setter Camille Conner dished out 43 assists, tying for the A&M match high in a four-set match this season. Blake and sophomore middle blocker Maddie Douglas had six blocks apiece to lead A&M to 13-8 lead in team blocks. Libero Amy Nettles led all players with 17 digs to move into fourth in the A&M career digs records with 1,411.

Ole Miss had three players post double-figure kills, including sophomore Emily Stroup, who led all players with 19 kills while hitting .368.

A&M never trailed in the opening set and took the lead for good at 14-13 on a solo block by Douglas. The Aggies, who outhit Ole Miss, .323 to .216 in the set, later went on an 8-2 run to build their largest lead, 24-17. Davis, who typically plays the middle but started the match at the opposite hitter position for the first time, got a kill down the line to put A&M at set point, but the Rebels rallied with five consecutive points before Hans ended the set with a kill.

Other than a 1-0 deficit to start the second set, it was Ole Miss that never trailed in the second stanza. The Rebels, who outhit A&M, .323 to .200, equaled their largest lead at 12-7 and were up 18-14 when the Aggies went on a 4-0 run, including back-to-back aces by Hans to tie the set for the second time. It was the final tie of the frame as A&M then committed four consecutive errors. Hans later got a kill to put the Aggies within 22-20, but it would be the closest A&M could get before a service error ended the set and evened the match at a set apiece.

Ole Miss spotted A&M a 4-0 lead to begin the third set, but the Rebels stayed within striking distance and tied the set for the seventh time at 17-17. An Ole Miss service error, a stuff block by Blake and Davis and a kill by McGee gave the Aggies a 20-17 cushion, but the Rebels stormed back, scoring five unanswered points to pull ahead, 22-20, and take their first lead in the set. Hans ended the run with a kill, but Ole Miss, which outhit A&M .256 to .205 in the frame, countered with back-to-back kills to be serving for the set. Freshman middle blocker Makena Patterson kept A&M alive, getting a kill courtesy of an Ole Miss overpass, but Stroup answered with the set-winning kill.

There were 11 ties and four lead changes in the fourth set, with A&M overcoming an early four-point deficit to take its first lead at 12-11 on a block by Blake and Davis. A&M was unable to build more than a one-point lead, and after two more lead changes and three ties, Blake put down a kill to give the Aggies a 19-18 lead. Ole Miss, however, won a challenge on the ensuing play to knot the score for the final time. A&M, which was outhit, 214 to .184 in the set, committed consecutive attack errors over the next two plays, and Ole Miss served an ace coming out of an A&M timeout to go up 22-19. Another Aggie miscue put the Rebels ahead, 23-19, before McGee got a kill to put A&M within 23-20. A&M, however, served into the net and Stroup ended the match with a kill.

Ole Miss outhit A&M, .248 to .223 for the match and led in kills (61-56), assists (54-50) and digs (63-60). In addition to the 13-8 lead in blocks, A&M led in aces (4-3) and points (73-72).

A&M's next two matches will close out the Aggies' home season. On Wednesday, the Aggies play host to SEC co-leader and fourth-ranked Florida at 5 p.m. at Reed Arena. On Sunday, Nov. 19, A&M welcomes South Carolina for a 1 p.m. match.

Wednesday's match against the Gators is Texas A&M Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night, and any A&M faculty or staff member will be admitted for only $3. Also the first 200 A&M students in attendance will receive a free A&M tumbler.

The Aggies will be celebrating Senior Day, when they play host to the Gamecocks on Sunday. A&M's four seniors, Gabby Litwin, Kiara McGee, Amy Nettles and Ashlie Reasor, will be recognized after the match. In addition, it will be Daddy-Daughter Day with a special $12 package offered that includes two match tickets and a $12 concessions voucher. The special price is for advance sales only and will not available on game day. The deadline for purchase is Friday, Nov. 17 at 5 p.m.

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 and Instagram by following @AggieVolleyball.