 "Photo: Jon Eilts")
 "Photo: Jon Eilts")
The Texas A&M volleyball team dropped its eighth consecutive match in the series against rival Texas on Wednesday, 3-1 (25-13, 23-25, 25-16, 25-18) at G. Rollie White Coliseum.
Juniors Mary Batis and Sarah Ammerman led the Aggie team with 15 kills. Despite the loss, A&M Head Coach Laurie Corbelli said she was proud of her team.
"We're really just focused on what we did well," Corbelli said. "We're going to try to carry that feeling and focus with us to the next match."
In the opening set, the Longhorns shot on top early with a 7-3 lead. A&M's Kelsey Bryant tied the match at 12-12 before Texas took over. The Longhorns scored 11 consecutive points before a service error ended the run. Texas scored the final two points for the set win.
The Aggies recovered in the second set, jumping out to an 8-3 lead. After falling behind 24-19, Texas survived four set points before A&M senior Darla Donaldson recorded a kill to give the Aggies the game.
Batis said the second set made the team realize they could hang with a Top 5 team.
"We just came out with a different attitude," Batis said. "That attitude is what we need to find."
The sixth largest crowd in A&M history, 3,203 fans, walked through the doors.
"I think its one of the best volleyball environments in the country," said Texas Head Coach Jerritt Elliott.
Texas (13-2, 7-1) picked up its seventh consecutive win in Big 12 conference play since losing to undefeated Nebraska.
A&M was under duress from the Longhorns' potent offensive attack, with Texas hitting .375 percent in the match and .619 in the first set. Texas junior Destinee Hooker led the Longhorns with 20 kills.
After the game, Corbelli said Hooker is one of the most physical female athletes in the nation in any sport.
"There's a lot we can learn from her," Corbelli said.
Texas got contributions from junior Ashley Engle, who posted 11 kills, and senior Lauren Paolini, who killed 10.
Defensively, the Longhorns had three players with double-digit digs. Heather Kisner, 2007 Big 12 first team selection, led the way with 14. The Aggies were limited to a .122 hitting percentage in the match.
After winning the second set the Aggies did not lead the rest of the match.
The Longhorns gained a 16-10 edge to start the third set, when sophomore Juliann Faucette, Engle and Hooker each recorded 4 kills. Texas carried a .484 hitting percentage in its second win of the night.
The Longhorns took control early with 10-4 lead in the fourth set before a service error. A&M fought back to cut the deficit to 20-15, but the Longhorns' defense forced the Aggies to a zero hitting percentage in the final set.
The loss ended a three-game winning streak for A&M, dropping the Aggies' record to 9-9 and 4-4 in the Big 12.
A&M will hit the court again Friday to host Baylor at G. Rollie White Coliseum. The Bears are 12-6 and 4-4 in conference.
Be the first to comment on this article!