COLUMBUS, Ohio – In a match to determine the tournament champion, Texas A&M fell to host Ohio State, 25-19, 25-16, 25-20, in the final match of the Sports Imports D.C. Koehl Classic at St. John Arena. Both teams entered the final match undefeated with wins over tournament participants Ohio University and Albany.
Texas A&M outside hitters Hollann Hans and Brookah Palmer were named to the all-tournament team.
Hans led the Aggies with 12 kills while hitting .348, but A&M was outhit, .443 to .241, as a team. Sophomore setter Camille Conner had 31 assists, and senior libero Amy Houser led A&M with seven digs. Thirteen players saw action for the Aggies, including freshman middle blocker Mallory Talbert, who made her career debut in the third set, as well as junior Haley Slocum and Maddie Douglas, who made their first appearance of the season.
All-tournament selection Mia Grunze led Ohio State (3-0) with 13 kills. Tournament MVP Lauren Witte had a match-high five blocks, leading the Buckeyes to a 9-2 advantage in total team blocks.
SET-BY-SET SUMMARIES
Set 1 – Ohio State, which had a school-record number of student attendance in the crowd of 3,018, never trailed, using a 6-1 run to break away from a 2-2 tie. A&M, whose .444 hitting percentage was overshadowed by the Buckeyes' .619 performance, later got within a point as sophomore middle blocker Makena Patterson teamed with Palmer for a block and then got a kill to put the Aggies within 15-14. A&M stayed within a point at 16-15 before Ohio State got back-to-back kills by Grunze and an ace by Witte. The Buckeyes continued to extend the margin, later using another 3-0 run to go up, 24-18. Conner staved off one set point with a kill before Witte put down the set-winning kill.
Set 2 – Ohio State used a 5-0 run to break away from a 2-2 tie, and the Buckeyes went on to build their largest lead at 21-12 following a 3-0 spurt. A&M, which was outhit, .321 to .037, in the frame could get no closer than seven points before Ohio State closed out the set with a kill.
Set 3 – Ohio State scored the first four points to open the third set and led the rest of the match. The Buckeyes, who outhit A&M .433 to .241 in the set, equaled their largest lead at 14-8 before Talbert posted the first kill of her career and Hans followed with an ace. An OSU attack error then put the Aggies within 14-11, but A&M was unable to overcome the deficit as the Buckeyes went on to win the set, 25-20.
UP NEXT
Texas A&M stays on the road next weekend, competing in the Penn State Classic, Aug. 31-Sept. 1 in State College, Pennsylvania. The Aggies open the tournament against Indiana on Aug. 31 at 5 p.m. (4 p.m. CT). On Sept. 1, they will take on both Temple and No. 6 Penn State at 12 p.m. (11 a.m. CT) and 7:30 p.m. (6:30 CT), respectively, to close out the tournament.
TEXAS A&M QUOTES
Head Coach Laura "Bird" Kuhn
"We needed to be ready to execute. I think the atmosphere got us at the beginning, and that is just something we have to grow through. Towards the end of the third set it became us, and I think they finally settled in.
"We need to outwork teams and that's our m.o., so at the end of the day that's what needs to happen, from start to finish. That is what we talked about all weekend."
Visit 12thMan.com for more information on Texas A&M volleyball. Aggie fans also can keep up to date with the team on Facebook and on Twitter and Instagram by following @AggieVolleyball.
Texas A&M outside hitters Hollann Hans and Brookah Palmer were named to the all-tournament team.
Hans led the Aggies with 12 kills while hitting .348, but A&M was outhit, .443 to .241, as a team. Sophomore setter Camille Conner had 31 assists, and senior libero Amy Houser led A&M with seven digs. Thirteen players saw action for the Aggies, including freshman middle blocker Mallory Talbert, who made her career debut in the third set, as well as junior Haley Slocum and Maddie Douglas, who made their first appearance of the season.
All-tournament selection Mia Grunze led Ohio State (3-0) with 13 kills. Tournament MVP Lauren Witte had a match-high five blocks, leading the Buckeyes to a 9-2 advantage in total team blocks.
SET-BY-SET SUMMARIES
Set 1 – Ohio State, which had a school-record number of student attendance in the crowd of 3,018, never trailed, using a 6-1 run to break away from a 2-2 tie. A&M, whose .444 hitting percentage was overshadowed by the Buckeyes' .619 performance, later got within a point as sophomore middle blocker Makena Patterson teamed with Palmer for a block and then got a kill to put the Aggies within 15-14. A&M stayed within a point at 16-15 before Ohio State got back-to-back kills by Grunze and an ace by Witte. The Buckeyes continued to extend the margin, later using another 3-0 run to go up, 24-18. Conner staved off one set point with a kill before Witte put down the set-winning kill.
Set 2 – Ohio State used a 5-0 run to break away from a 2-2 tie, and the Buckeyes went on to build their largest lead at 21-12 following a 3-0 spurt. A&M, which was outhit, .321 to .037, in the frame could get no closer than seven points before Ohio State closed out the set with a kill.
Set 3 – Ohio State scored the first four points to open the third set and led the rest of the match. The Buckeyes, who outhit A&M .433 to .241 in the set, equaled their largest lead at 14-8 before Talbert posted the first kill of her career and Hans followed with an ace. An OSU attack error then put the Aggies within 14-11, but A&M was unable to overcome the deficit as the Buckeyes went on to win the set, 25-20.
UP NEXT
Texas A&M stays on the road next weekend, competing in the Penn State Classic, Aug. 31-Sept. 1 in State College, Pennsylvania. The Aggies open the tournament against Indiana on Aug. 31 at 5 p.m. (4 p.m. CT). On Sept. 1, they will take on both Temple and No. 6 Penn State at 12 p.m. (11 a.m. CT) and 7:30 p.m. (6:30 CT), respectively, to close out the tournament.
TEXAS A&M QUOTES
Head Coach Laura "Bird" Kuhn
"We needed to be ready to execute. I think the atmosphere got us at the beginning, and that is just something we have to grow through. Towards the end of the third set it became us, and I think they finally settled in.
"We need to outwork teams and that's our m.o., so at the end of the day that's what needs to happen, from start to finish. That is what we talked about all weekend."
Visit 12thMan.com for more information on Texas A&M volleyball. Aggie fans also can keep up to date with the team on Facebook and on Twitter and Instagram by following @AggieVolleyball.