News release from Texas A&M Athletics:
The No. 19 Texas A&M volleyball team came up short in a five-set slugfest versus No. 6 Wisconsin Friday evening at Reed Arena, 3-2 (25-18, 23-25, 25-23, 22-25, 11-15).
The Aggies (4-5) battled through a five-set thriller, backed by 9,211 members of the 12th Man which made up the third-largest attendance in program history. The Maroon & White’s offense led them throughout the game, as Kaia Castle’s career-high 19 kills paced the group and pushed them to a season high 69 kills as a unit.
Texas A&M jumped out early taking a 5-1 lead against the Badgers (4-3). Gabi Rodriguez drove A&M’s defense, recording eight digs in the set, and her seventh of the frame marked the 100th of her career. The Maroon & White flipped defense into attack, led by Natalie Ring who recorded five kills in the frame. The Aggies never let it get close and secured the opening set, 25-18.
Wisconsin rallied in the second, taking a tightly fought set, 25-23. However, the Aggies responded in the third, in another hard-fought frame which saw 12 ties concluding at 22-22. Castle was the difference for the Maroon & White, logging two kills in their final three points to bring her game total to 13 which marked a career high and sealed the set, 25-23, and lead in the match, 2-1.
Texas A&M and Wisconsin traded points early in the fourth, before the Badgers took a 14-9 lead. Needing to respond, the Aggies went on a 6-1 run to tie it at 15 with Castle tallying another five kills in the frame. A&M continued to battle late with back-to-back kills from Kyndal Stowers knotting the score at 21. Wisconsin recaptured the momentum and forced a fifth set, 25-22.
In the final frame, the Maroon & White took a two-point lead mid-set, 8-6, forcing a timeout from Wisconsin. The Badgers responded to tie it at 10 and continued their momentum to edge out the set, 15-11, and match, 3-2.
Next Up
The Aggies return to Reed Arena Tuesday for a 6 p.m. matchup with SFA.