News release from Texas A&M Athletics:
The No. 8 Aggie volleyball team swept Cal Poly to close the Texas A&M Invitational Saturday evening at Reed Arena, 3-0 (26-24, 25-15, 25-23).
Texas A&M (3-2) made it back-to-back sweeps, as it downed Cal Poly (1-1) in three sets behind a dominant offensive showing spearheaded by Natalie Ring’s 15 kills. The outside hitter led an efficient night for the Maroon & White, hitting .387 while the team as a unit was at .333.
The contest opened as a back-and-forth affair, with Texas A&M and Cal Poly trading points and finding level on six occasions before the Mustangs clawed a three-point lead at the first break, 15-12. Ring turned the tide in the frame, logging eight kills with her final one giving the team set point, 24-22. The victors leveled the game once again at 24, but an Eliza Sharp kill paired with a Mustang error claimed the opener for A&M, 26-24.
Continuing to build on the momentum, stints at the service line from Gabi Rodriguez and Taryn Morris prompted an early called timeout from Cal poly, 7-2. A&M kept its foot on the gas, holding the advantage late, 20-15. Leaving nothing to chance, Kirra Musgrove led a 5-0 charge to conclude the frame, capped off by an ace for set point.
Cal Poly responded in the early portion of the third, taking a four-point lead at double digits, 10-6. Kaia Castle sparked an Aggie response from the middle of the court, recording three kills and a block in a six-point span to knot the set at 11. The programs battled late into the frame, and it was the Mustangs that forged a three-point gap as they hit 20. Needing to answer, A&M did just that with an 8-3 streak capped off by Ring’s 15th kill of the game to seal the sweep.
Stat Leaders
Kills – Natalie Ring – 15
Hitting Percentage (Min. 10 kills) – Natalie Ring – .387
Assists – Kirra Musgrove – 34
Aces – Kirra Musgrove – 3
Digs – Gabi Rodriguez – 10
Blocks – Taryn Morris – 5
Player Notes
#1 Gabi Rodriguez
Recorded her third-straight game with double-digit digs (10) and fourth of the year.
Has tallied an ace in all five games this season.
#6 Taryn Morris
Matched her career high of five blocks set vs. Louisville earlier this season.
#14 Kirra Musgrove
Set career highs in assists (34), aces (3) and digs (5).
#17 Natalie Ring
Logged a season-high 15 kills in the contest.
Has recorded double-digit kills in every game this season and has reached the milestone 46 times in her career.
#19 Kaia Castle
Secured a season-high nine kills, hitting at .438 percent.
Team Notes
The Aggies swept the Texas A&M Invitational for the third-straight year.
4,495 fans were in attendance for the game, marking the 10th-highest attendance in program history.
The Maroon & White hit at .333 percent as a unit, their highest mark this season.
Next Up
The Aggies head to West Lafayette, Indiana, for the Big Ten/SEC Volleyball Challenge Week where they will face No. 9 Purdue, Sept. 1, followed by the No. 16 Indiana Hoosiers, Sept. 2.