COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina remained undefeated in home matches this season after defeating Texas A&M, 25-21, 22-25, 25-22, 25-14, today at the Carolina Tennis Center.
The Aggies, who committed 19 service errors in the match, fall to 10-7 overall and 3-2 in Southeastern Conference matches as they close out a three-match road swing. South Carolina, which snapped a six-match losing skid in the series against Texas A&M, improves to 14-2 overall, including 5-1 in SEC matches, as well as 7-0 in home matches.
Texas A&M junior outside hitter Hollann Hans led all players with 20 kills, three aces and 24.5 points, and freshman middle blocker London Austin-Roark also reached double-figure kills with 11 while hitting .526. Junior setter Camille Conner dished out 42 assists and also had 10 digs to register her seventh double-double of the season. Senior libero Amy Houser took team-high honors in digs with 13, and sophomore middle blocker Makena Patterson led the Aggies with four blocks.
Mikayla Shields led the Gamecocks with 13 kills, and Brittany McLean contributed 10 kills, while libero Aubrey Ezell led all players with 19 digs.
As a team, A&M led the Gamecocks in kills, 52-47, and assists, 49-44, but also led in attack errors, 24-16, as South Carolina outhit A&M, .272 to .187. A&M also led in aces, 5-4, but committed 19 errors—the most by the Aggies in a four-set match this season—while South Carolina had nine service errors. Furthermore, A&M led in blocks, 8-7, as well as block errors, 3-1.
SET-BY-SET SUMMARIES
Set 1 – There were 15 ties and eight lead changes, although A&M was never able to build more than a one-point advantage. The Aggies had trailed by as many as three points before using a 6-2 run to take an 18-17 lead. The teams began to trade point for point, with the Gamecocks tying the score for the final time at 20-20 on a kill by Mikayla Robinson. Shields then ripped a kill down the line to return the lead to South Carolina, 21-20, and followed with her fifth kill of the frame to put the Gamecocks up, 22-20. A&M had appeared to end the run with a kill, but South Carolina won a challenge, putting the Gamecocks up, 23-20. Patterson tipped in a kill to put A&M within 23-21, but A&M committed its fifth service error to put South Carolina at set point. Robinson then put down an A&M overpass for the set-winning kill.
K E TA Pct
Texas A&M 14 9 48 .104
South Carolina 9 3 32 .188
Set 2 – South Carolina jumped out to a 10-4 lead to build its largest lead, and was ahead, 16-11 before A&M began a comeback. A solo block by Patterson began a 5-1 run that put the Aggies within 17-16. After exchanging sideouts and with the Gamecocks holding onto a 19-17 advantage, Hans put down two of her six kills in the stanza and Austin-Roark had two blocks and a kill during an A&M 5-0 run that gave the Aggies their first lead. The teams then traded points for the remainder of the set. Austin-Roark put the Aggies at set point with her fourth kill in the set. Shields extended the set with a kill, but the Gamecocks then served into the net to give A&M the 25-22 win and even the match at a set apiece.
K E TA Pct
Texas A&M 15 6 32 .281
South Carolina 10 7 27 .111
Set 3 – A&M managed to tie the score three times, but the Gamecocks never trailed in the set. South Carolina had built its largest lead at 10-5 and was up, 18-14, when Patterson had back-to-back kills and Hans followed with a kill to put A&M with 18-17. South Carolina’s next kill sailed wide to tie the score, 18-18. It would be the last time the teams would be tied as the Gamecocks connect on three consecutive kills to go up, 21-18. The teams exchanged points the rest of the way with an A&M service error completing the 25-22 win by the Gamecocks and putting South Carolina up, 2-1, in the match.
K E TA Pct
Texas A&M 14 5 41 .220
South Carolina 14 4 31 .323
Set 4 –
South Carolina scored the first two points of the set and went on to hold the lead for the remainder of the stanza. The Gamecocks went on to pull ahead, 11-5 before Hans had two of her six kills in the frame as well as an ace during a 4-1 run that put the Aggies within 12-9. A&M was unable to get any closer as South Carolina countered with an 8-1 run to go up, 20-10. The teams then began to trade sideouts, with an A&M service error putting the Gamecocks at match point, 24-14. McLean then tooled the Aggie block for the match-winning kill.
K E TA Pct
Texas A&M 9 4 29 .172
South Carolina 14 2 24 .500
TEXAS A&M QUOTES
Head Coach Laura “Bird” Kuhn
On her thoughts on the match…
“We are disappointed in our overall response as a team on the road. We had an unacceptable number of unforced errors. It was poor execution of our game plan against a solid team that took advantage and gained all the momentum. Now it’s time for us to get back to the basics and control what’s ahead of us.”
UP NEXT
The Aggies return to Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 12 to play host to the Auburn Tigers. First serve is at 6 p.m.
Several promotions will be taking place on Friday:
- Student Giveaway: Adidas grey performance T’s for the first 50 Texas A&M students (North Entrance)
- Camper Reunion Night: Free admission for volleyball campers in advance and on game day. Additional tickets are $3 each.
- Soccer Double Header: Purchase a ticket for the Oct. 7 soccer match and bring it to the volleyball match to receive free admission.
- Bring Your “A” Game: Free admission for any kid who presents a report card with an A. Only available as a walk up sale on the day of the event. No advance purchases.
- Concessions Special: Half-off popcorn (all sizes).
- Post-Match Autographs: Fans will be invited to the court to receive post-match autographs from the team.
Visit 12thMan.com for more information on Texas A&M volleyball. Aggie fans also can keep up to date with the team on Facebook and on Twitter and Instagram by following @AggieVolleyball.
Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics