News release from Texas A&M Athletics:
The No. 9 Texas A&M volleyball team won its sixth-straight match as it downed the Gamecocks Wednesday evening at the Carolina Volleyball Center, 3-1 (31-29, 20-25, 25-21, 25-13).
The Aggies (11-2, 3-0 SEC) secured their best start to conference play since 2020, as they won their third-consecutive league match following an impressive four-set victory over South Carolina (6-7, 0-3 SEC). Texas A&M’s pins Logan Lednicky and Kyndal Stowers led the offense with 18 kills each, while Ifenna Cos-Okpalla recorded her second double-digit block game of conference play with 10.
South Carolina opened the match on the front foot, as the hosts created a four-point lead at the media timeout (15-11). The Maroon & White weathered the storm and found their way back late in the set, tying the match as South Carolina huddled up (22-22). The battle continued, as the frame went into extras with each team having multiple set points, but it was the Aggies who struck two-straight to take the opener, 31-29.
The hosts got off to another fast start (8-4), however Texas A&M answered the call behind a 6-2 run as teams were tied when they hit double digits (10-10). The Gamecocks forged a three-point advantage late which prompted a timeout from head coach Jamie Morrison (22-19). South Carolina built on its lead, taking the second set (25-20) knotting the match at 1-1.
Flipping the momentum, the Maroon & White raced out to a four-point advantage behind a 6-0 run at the service line from Stowers (6-2). The Gamecocks went on a streak of their own, leveling the teams at the midway point (15-15). The programs remained in lockstep to 20, but once again Stowers at the service line was the difference as she propelled the Maroon & White to a 5-1 run to seal the set (25-21) and captured the lead in the match, 2-1.
Texas A&M was shot out of a cannon in the fourth, as reigning SEC Player of the Week, Cos-Okpalla, took over with three blocks, a kill and an ace which had the Aggies up six as they hit double digits (10-4). The Maroon & White didn’t let South Carolina get close, extending their lead to eight after forcing a Gamecock timeout (18-10). Nothing stopped the train from rolling, as Texas A&M closed the set (25-13) and match, 3-1.