Texas A&M Clinches SEC West Volleyball Title
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COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Texas A&M volleyball team clinched at least a share of the SEC Western Division title with a 25-20, 18-25, 25-15, 25-15 win over Missouri Friday on Senior Night at Reed Arena.
It was the seventh consecutive victory for the Aggies, who improve to 22-5 overall and 14-4 in the SEC with two matches remaining. Missouri falls to 18-10 overall and 9-8 in the SEC.
A&M’s five seniors, playing in their final regular season home match, led the Aggies to the victory on their special day. Alisia Kastmo tied her career high with 21 kills while hitting at a .317 clip and also tied her career high in aces with four. Tori Mellinger posted her team-leading 12th double-double of the season with 13 kills and 14 digs. Lindsey Miller also reached double figures in kills with 10 and hit .444, and Stephanie Minnerly led the Aggies in blocks with three. In addition, libero Megan Pendergast led all players with 17 digs.
A&M jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the opening set and kept the lead for the remainder of the frame. The Aggies equaled their largest lead at 13-6, but the Tigers would chip away and get within 19-18 after scoring three unanswered points. Kastmo kept A&M in the lead with a kill, and Mellinger gave the Aggies a two-point cushion with a solo block.
A&M held a 23-20 advantage when Mellinger hit through the seam in the block to put the Aggies at set point. Missouri standout Lisa Henning, who took 56 swings and tied Kastmo with 21 kills in the match, then hit long to give the Aggies the 25-20 win.
A&M was flat in the second set, and Missouri used a 6-1 run to build a 22-16 lead. Mellinger put a kill down the Missouri block and the Tigers then hit into the net to put A&M within 22-18, but Missouri, which outhit the Aggies, .308 to .000, reeled off three consecutive points, including a triple block to close out the set and even the match.
The Aggies regrouped during the break and jumped out to a 16-7 lead to begin the third set. Missouri, which was outhit, .464 to .194 in the set, got within 17-12 but could get no closer as the Aggies began to put the set out of reach. A&M held a 22-15 advantage when Mellinger put down and kill and Minnerly teamed with setter Allie Sawatzky for a block to put the Aggies at set point. Minnerly followed with a kill on the slide attack to clinch the win and give A&M a 2-1 lead in the match.
A&M used a 5-0 run to jump out to an 8-4 lead in the fourth set, but Missouri would counter with a 6-1 rally to regain the lead at 10-9. A&M responded with a 7-0 run, which included three kills apiece by Kastmo and Mellinger, to put the Aggies ahead, 16-10. A&M later held a 20-12 lead when Missouri scored two points. After a kill by Miller ended the Tigers’ run, Kastmo stepped to the service line and served three consecutive aces to put the Aggies at match point. Missouri was able to put Kastmo’s fourth serve into play and later connected on a kill to stay alive, but their hopes of a comeback were dashed when they served long on the final play.
A&M outhit Missouri .229 to .173 for the match, posting 59 kills to the Tigers’ 43. Sawatzky moved into fourth in the A&M career records with 3,248 assists after dishing out 50 assists tonight to lead A&M to a 59-40 overall advantage, and the Aggies also led in aces (9-1), and digs (65-50), while Missouri, the SEC leader in blocks per set, outblocked A&M, 9.5 to 7.
The Aggies conclude the regular season with a pair of road matches next week. A&M faces preseason SEC favorite Tennessee Wednesday at 6 p.m. (CT) at the Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tenn., and then closes out the schedule at Ole Miss, Friday at 7 p.m. at the Gillom Sports Center in Oxford, Miss.
The 64-team NCAA Championship bracket will be announced Sunday, Nov. 25 at 3 p.m. on ESPNU.
