WACO, Texas – The No. 8 Texas A&M volleyball team concluded its preseason slate with a victory over No. 21 Baylor Sunday evening at the Ferrell Center, 3-1 (25-19, 25-20, 25-20, 23-25).
The Aggies imposed their will early in the matchup, racing out to a 10-5 lead spearheaded by Margot Manning at the service line. The onslaught continued behind a balanced attack, featuring kills from five different A&M attackers (21-16). Not letting the hosts get close, a kill from Kaia Castle concluded the opener in favor of the Maroon & White, 25-19.
The second frame saw a back-and-forth battle early, as the teams were knotted on five occasions on their way to 7-7. A balanced spell of offense and defense had Baylor huddling up at the midway point of the frame, trailing 15-11. The Bears narrowed the deficit to three, but back-to-back strikes capped off by Taryn Morris’ second kill of the contest secured the second frame, 2-0 (25-20).
It was domination from the start in the third set, with Castle leading the charge recording four kills and a block as A&M hit double digits with a 10-5 lead. The advantage pushed out to eight, leaving the Aggies five away, up 20-12. In similar fashion to the second set, the Bears narrowed the gap but once again it wasn’t enough as the third was claimed 25-20.
The programs decided to play an extra frame, in which Baylor came out the victor to conclude the game, 3-1 (25-23).
Next Up
The Aggies open their 2026 at the AVCA First Serve in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where they face No. 7 Louisville Friday, Aug. 21, with first serve set for 5 p.m.