News release from Texas A&M Athletics:
The No. 9 Texas A&M volleyball team downed No. 2 Texas in a five-set thriller in the Cotton Holdings Lone Star Showdown for the highest-ranked home win in program history Friday evening at Reed Arena, 3-2 (25-19, 25-23, 17-25, 19-25, 15-13).
The Aggies (18-3, 10-1 SEC) handed the Longhorns (18-1, 10-1 SEC) their first loss on the season, outlasting the visitors in an instant classic in Aggieland where the 12thMan stood a program record 9,801 strong. Texas A&M grabbed the opening two sets, before Texas struck two back. In a winner-take-all decider, Ifenna Cos-Okpalla and Kyndal Stowers pushed the Aggies over the edge to secure their highest ranked home win the team history.
The top-10 showdown opened with back-and-forth scoring, as the teams were knotted on every occasion to 8-8. The Maroon & White were the ones to break the deadlock, ripping off a 7-2 run to lead by five at the media timeout (15-10). Texas chipped into the deficit, as head coach Jamie Morrison gathered his squad (17-16). Texas A&M answered the call with a 3-0 streak, forcing the Longhorns to burn a timeout of their own (20-16). The train kept rolling, as the Aggies took the lead in the match, closing out the opener, 25-19.
Texas came out fast in second, prompting a timeout from coach Morrison (6-2), however in similar fashion to the first the Maroon & White responded with a 7-2 strike as the Longhorns returned the favor and huddled up (9-8). The contest remained neck and neck, as the programs were tied at the midway point (16-16). Texas went on a run late (22-18), but here came Ol’ Sarge’s Charges answering the call scoring five straight behind Megan Fitch at the service line (23-22). The Aggies left nothing to chance, claiming the set (25-23) and doubling the lead in the match, 2-0.
The Longhorns opened up an early advantage in the third as they hit double digits (10-4). Texas A&M battled throughout the set, but Texas built on the six-point gap and took the third (25-17) as the Aggies led by one in the match, 2-1.
Nothing separated the teams out of the gate in set four, as they found level at double digits (10-10). The Longhorns forged a lead late in the frame, as coach Morrison called a timeout (19-14). The Longhorns extended the gap, and despite a late push from the Maroon & White, Texas took the set (25-19) and knotted the match, 2-2.
The teams traded points to open the deciding frame with the Longhorns taking a one-point advantage into the break, 8-7. Following the court flip, the Aggies turned the momentum firmly to their side scoring three-straight points as Texas called timeout (10-8). The Longhorns battled back, tying the teams at 12 late, but Morrison’s squad powered through courtesy of a kill from Cos-Okpalla, an ace from Stowers and a 15th and final career-high kill from Cos-Okpalla to take the deciding set (15-13) and match, 3-2.