Win streak reaches six as No. 9 Aggies claim 3-1 victory at South Carolina
Match #13: No. 9 Texas A&M 3, South Carolina 1
S1: A&M, 31-29; S2: SC, 25-20; S3: A&M, 25-21; S4: A&M, 25-13
Records: Texas A&M (11-2, 3-0), Vanderbilt (6-7, 0-3)
Box Score
What began as a shaky skirmish turned into a victorious march.
No. 9 Texas A&M defeated South Carolina on Wednesday night in its first SEC road match, 3-1.
The Gamecocks proved they were a dangerous team, but the Aggies steadied themselves to victory in four sets. Texas A&M improves to 11-2 and 3-0 in conference play as they march forward with their six-game winning streak.
Amidst the journey, Ava Underwood carved her name into the record book as she racked up her 1,000th career dig, becoming the 23rd Aggie to reach the benchmark.
Additionally, Ifenna Cos-Okpalla finished with 10 blocks, becoming No. 7 in career total blocks for the Aggies. The All-American also tallied two service aces, demonstrating her versatility during her phenomenal season.
Logan Lednicky prevailed tonight as she finished the game with 18 kills and five blocks with a .333 hitting percentage.
Kyndal Stowers matched Lednicky with 18 kills herself, demonstrating the power of her swings.
The resilient Madde Waak commanded the offense with her 46 assists. At one point in the third set, she got her finger taped up. Yet, she played like she never even noticed.
Still, the victory did not come without resistance.
The Maroon & White started the match with low energy, but gradually woke up and began to play like themselves. South Carolina kept feeding their middle blocker Emily Beeker, resulting in constant threatening lead changes.
The Gamecocks took advantage early in the opening set, exposing A&M’s disorganized defensive system. Although there was intense rallying from both teams, South Carolina responded with a brisk tempo. Despite being initially outpaced, A&M was able to claw its way back, pushing for a 31-29 finish.
More messiness from the Ags in the second frame as seven attack errors and three service errors cost them the set.
Things started to improve in the third set as the energy on the defensive side finally arrived. Head coach Jamie Morrison reorganized their system to cover up the holes South Carolina was exposing.
Ultimately, by the fourth set, the Aggies wore out the Gamecocks and played like the dominant top-10 team they are. They fought with confidence and resilience — taking the game into their own hands.
South Carolina proved itself a worthy opponent, but once A&M organized the Aggie arsenal, its firepower became too much to contain.
With their first SEC road victory in the bag, the Maroon & White continue their campaign with their rising momentum. Though this match tested their strengths and weaknesses, they stood unbroken by the end.
The Ags stand ready for their next battle.
Next up, the Maroon & White travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where they face the Crimson Tide (8-4) on Sunday. First serve is set for 2:00 p.m. CT.
