No. 9 Aggies Drop Four-Set Battle to No. 3 Kentucky

News release from Texas A&M Athletics:

The No. 9 Texas A&M volleyball team fell to No. 3 Kentucky in a four-set battle Wednesday evening at Reed Arena, 3-1 (21-25, 25-22, 25-15, 27-25).

The Aggies (12-3, 4-1 SEC) unbeaten streak came to an end versus the Wildcats (11-2, 4-0 SEC) in a top 10 SEC showdown. A&M got off to a hot start behind Logan Lednicky’s seven first set kills to take the opener. Kentucky responded taking back-to-back frames, and in a fourth set that went into extras the visitors prevailed to take the match, 3-1.

Texas A&M opened the match on the front foot behind Ifenna Cos-Okpalla at the service line, as she helped forge a three-point advantage early (5-2). Both teams settled into the contest, as the gap remained close at the midway point, 15-13. The Maroon & White were able to extend the lead courtesy of three-straight kills from Lednicky, forcing the first called timeout from the Wildcats, 21-17. The visitors pushed late, however Morgan Perkins sealed the opener with her third kill of the game, 25-20.

Kentucky came out as the aggressor in the second, creating a three-point gap as head coach Jamie Morrison huddled up his squad (12-9). The Wildcats held their momentum throughout the frame, and despite the Maroon & White defending four set points they took the second set (25-22) and tied the match, 1-1.

The visitors held their rhythm to start the third, pushing out to a four-point lead as they hit double digits (10-6). Kentucky continued to expand its lead, as coach Morrison called timeout (16-9). The visitors kept building and took the frame (25-15) and lead in the match, 2-1.

Texas A&M came out and put its foot down in the fourth, opening up a three-point advantage at the first break in the set, 15-12. The teams began trading blows, as they found level late (20-20). The Wildcats appeared to score their 21st point, but a successful challenge from coach Morrison flipped the call and momentum, as the Maroon & White strung together a 3-1 run forcing a Kentucky timeout, 23-21. The frame was forced into extras, and it was the visitors who broke the deadlock to take the set (27-25) and match, 3-1.

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