No. 24 Texas A&M volleyball triumphs over No. 16 Kentucky 3-1
COLLEGE STATION - The Texas A&M volleyball team stepped into Reed Arena this morning with their game faces on and seemed ready to play as the No. 24 Aggies faced the No. 16 Kentucky Wildcats in hopes of continuing their winning streak.
Those hopes turned into reality as they beat Kentucky 3-1.
This match against the Wildcats (18-4, 8-2 SEC) was an exciting victory for the Aggies (14-6, 6-3 SEC), and a career record setting game for some of the individual players. Sophomore Katelyn Labhart stepped up for her first career start. The Aggies’ Ashlie Reasor had a career-high 15 kills, while Amy Nettles had the most digs in the four-set match, ending up with 26.
The Aggies committed to working on what needed to be changed after the emotional Arkansas loss last week, and the last three matches have shown just that. The Aggies’ determination and leadership proved itself when the team worked together, on and off the court, to win at home.
“I have to credit the team. They have worked so hard to identify what they had to change," A&M head coach Laurie Corbelli said. "They talked about how they can change and how they could put it into action, and that’s exactly what they did.
“The leadership the captains have showed, along with the composer and maturity they showed today was a huge step forward for us. The volleyball was a product of the things they changed as a team.“
Matt Sachs, TexAgs
The Texas A&M Volleyball team ecstatic after the successful win.
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The first two sets went in the Aggies’ favor, with scores of 25-22 in the first set, and 26-24 in the second. There were 25 ties in the two sets. The Aggies fell short in the third set, losing 17-25 due to constant errors and the Wildcats’ hustle and effort. However, the Aggies took over once again in the fourth and final set, winning 25-16 and taking the match.
“This was a really important win for us,
not just for the volleyball world, but for us as a team,” Corbelli said. “We
have this opportunity, and we’ve had it in the past, and in the past it has
always eluded us. What we’ve really wanted to do and achieve never really
seemed to come together at the right time.
"I feel like the Arkansas loss really helped us, and it is too bad it had to happen like that. I truly believe losses, especially in the middle of the season, are wake up calls; not just losses, but poor performances as well.”
The loss against Arkansas proved to be a huge wake up call for the Aggies. The changes that needed to be made were implemented, and the girls came out with a successful game plan and earned a win.
Today’s match was the fourth straight victory for the team. Hopeful and determined, A&M next takes on Alabama on the road in Tuscaloosa on October 31st at 7:00 p.m.
