Match #5: No. 10 Texas A&M 3, Utah State 1
S1: USU, 25-23; S2: A&M, 25-21; S3: A&M, 25-14; S4: A&M, 25-19
Records: Texas A&M (5-0, 0-0), Utah State (1-3, 0-0)
Box Score
No. 10 Texas A&M volleyball extended its winning streak to five with a four-set win over Utah State on Friday night in Logan, Utah.
In the battle of the Aggies, A&M began with a strong lead but quickly lost control due to inconsistency and unforced errors. Eventually, the Maroon & White found their momentum, but it was somewhat rough getting there.
Four Texas Aggies had double-digit kills, as senior outside hitter Emily Hellmuth led with 18. Logan Lednicky had 15 kills, while Ifenna Cos-Okpalla and Kyndal Stowers each had 11.
A&M began dominant in the opener, and an early four-point run powered by Hellmuth gave them an 8-2 lead.
However, Utah State fought back and brought the match within one, and two consecutive blocks gave the home side its first lead of the match.
The hosts then went on a six-point scoring run, and A&M appeared to fall apart.
USU took full advantage, and a rotation error from the Maroon & White gave Utah State the opening set, 25-23.
In the second stanza, unforced errors from A&M continued to hand Utah State points and kept the score tight for most of the frame.
A&M struggled to build any momentum until a kill from Lednicky sent the Maroon & White on a four-point scoring run, which briefly put them ahead by two.
Then, tied at 20, a 4-1 run from the Texas Aggies gave them the set and evened the match.
While Utah State led early in the third, it did not last long.
A five-point run from the Maroon & White brought the score to 10-7, and kills from Stowers and Cos-Okpalla gave A&M some much-needed momentum as they extended their lead.
Leading by nine, the Maroon & White began to finally play like the top-10 team that they are, with the same dominance that they displayed early in the first set and the night before in Salt Lake City.
With her seventh kill of the night and a .667 hitting percentage, senior middle blocker Morgan Perkins shined and brought A&M within two points of securing the third set.
A USU attack error ended the third, as A&M won it 25-14.
A&M continued to find success in the fourth as Hellmuth and Lednicky pushed them ahead 6-1 early
While Utah State responded and brought the match within one, the Maroon & White did not let up.
With her 18th kill of the night, Hellmuth forced a USU timeout, as the home side tried to regroup.
Hellmuth then followed with an ace, and an A&M run caused another Utah State break.
The USU squad fought back, but a kill from Cos-Okpalla gave the Texas Aggies match point.
Stowers ended the match with an aggressive kill, and A&M won the fourth and final set, 25-19.
Although A&M walks away with a win, Jamie Morrison & Co. will need to improve their consistency. They will face two top-25 teams next week, and staying competitive throughout the match will be key.
The Maroon & White will look to extend their winning streak on Tuesday, Sept. 9, at 2 p.m. CT, as A&M faces No. 11 SMU in the Shriners Children’s Showdown at the Net.
