The two matches tomorrow should be easy wins for both Texas State and TAMU based on today's play.

I think the changes made from after the exhibition against Baylor and week one play have paid off really well. Tighten up the defense off the block and make some smarter swings when out of system and we will be playing for a NCAA bid
We have some interchangeable parts in the middle and Morgan Davis brings energy off the bench in that role. Patterson is our best middle who plays back row and serves for one rotation and has a healthy hitting percentage since getting the starting nod.
Lauren Davis moved to OH has paid dividends and given Freshman Rush valuable experience on the RS.
Had trouble in one rotation hitting out of serve receive tonight but made adjustments towards the end in that regard

Thanks for the update!

Thank for this post. Appreciate your recap and commentary. We watched last night on the SEC network.

Rice pulled the upset tonight and beat #3 Texas in 5 sets.

WOW!!

Rice is ranked ahead of us in most computer simulations and should win their conference fairly easily under the direction of former Aggie VB player Genni Wood Volpe
They beat us in spring competition fairly handily.
That said still a bit of a shocker against Texas even at home

8-1 and no national recognition due to the cupcake schedule. Texas will be pissed after losing to Rice and finish the match in 3 sets.
Strength of schedule (RPI) will hurt the Aggies unless they can upset Florida, Kentucky or Missouri this season.

Swept! Shouldve and couldve been the other way around.

Had big leads in all 3 sets.

We couldn't finish. We outplayed them to 15 the first three sets but couldn't finish especially when you are the first to 23

Missed opportunities at the end of the first two sets but we were in position to win in the end

We have to look for more offense from the RS pin. Rush must get more opportunities and if doesn't work need to make a change because we can't expect the outsides to carry us especially in end games when the opponent knows where it is going

If we rank the state of Texas I think personally it goes

1. Baylor
2. Texas
3. Rice
4. TAMU
5. SFA
6. Texas State
With all of those likely making the NCAAs this season. Will look at box score later on Texas match and compare it to the 5 set loss Texas had against Rice

Rush has been very disappointing

Aggies win their SEC opener 3-1 against Alabama.

The ladies start the SEC season the right way, taking down the Tide 3-1. Lots of positives for the Ags tonight. About the only thing 'Bama did better was the number of blocks.

Last year Alabama beat us early in the season at home, although I think we returned the favor toward the end of the season there.

It's good to be 1-0 in the SEC.

Yes, new this season. A surprise for the team just before the season started.
And I agree with you - very sharp!

Congrats to Coach Bird and the girls, a very good win to start conference play!

Good win for the Ags last night although a bit disappointed in giving them set three. Once again great production numbers from the outside hitter position and also efficiency from the middle.
Alabama can't pass at all and that causes issues with set location. For years our team was about ball control and we didn't pass on that well but never as bad as Alabama was last night. Our serving was very effective with production runs from virtually everyone from the service line. Big match against Tennessee at Tennessee on Sunday

Here are IMO our top 3 things we have to accomplish moving forward.

1. Finish sets. We need to have a better end game mentality. We were the first to 15 in all three sets against Texas at Texas and even first to 23 in the first two and didn't win a set. We outplayed Texas for 85% of the match and still came away with a 0-3 loss. Same thing against Louisville in our other loss for the season and sets against Dayton and UTRGV along with last nights set loss against Alabama

2. Have to get production from the RS. Rush the freshman can be special but has to offensively come up with better shot selection and attack angles both across the net and the seams of the block and be able to hit line to make the opponent guess a bit more on defensive set up. Also needs better OOS shots and then I think our setter will feel more comfortable setting the right side. Sanders took over for her at end of one set and she shined on the RS last year before being moved to OH 2 due to injury at that position. She didn't come they last night hitting negative for the match. Morgan Davis provides a spark when she comes in and can play that position as well so maybe a battle will occur in practice without damaging Rush in her development.

3. We have 6 servers that all can make long runs of production from the line but we need to stop the opponent from doing the same. We allow teams back in matches by making different mistakes that often results in 4,5, or 6 point runs. We need to beat down and stop any run at no more than three because it seems to happen very fast and a lead we get vanishes
If This can be accomplished it will also help tremendously with the first point of emphasis

Enjoying watching this team play more this season. Looks more like a complete team. Hans was a monster last night.

About the new court, they mentioned last night that an anonymous donor donated money for the court.

A good start for the ladies last night, and probably a must-win for a team that wants to make the NCAA tournament.

I looked up a recent national poll, and the SEC has only three ranked teams - Florida (12), Kentucky (16), and Missouri (19), with our next opponent UT "receiving votes". Of our 18 conference games, six of them are against those four teams, and four of those teams are on the road. So our schedule is either a killer or a gigantic opportunity for a developing team to earn an NCAA tournament birth, depending on your point of view.

I really appreciate the earlier posters who gave a detailed analytical evaluation of the game. I enjoy watching all Aggie sports, but often without detailed knowledge of what is going on - other than when a team scores a point! Thanks for taking the time to give me insight into the game.

Had 2 set points vs UT and loses the 1st set. Disappointing.

Much Better! Take set 2 25-15.

Lose set 3 25-23.

Going to the 5th. Ags wins set 4 25-20.

FINISH

FINISH

FINISH

Ags Lose....they were up 12 - 10 and 13 - 11. Had 4 match points. UT only needed 1. On match point #1, service error. On UT's match point, overpass on us for the easy kill.

It really stinks to lose a match that you certainly should have won. A lot of decisions weren't the best (over and over) when it was winning time.

This team should be undefeated. They were up in the 1st 2 sets against tu. Only if they knew how to finish.

Gap said:

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It really stinks to lose a match that you certainly should have won. A lot of decisions weren't the best (over and over) when it was winning time.

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Appears to be a serious lack of both composure and confidence. It is a re-run of last year. Apparently, off-season coaching/training failed to develop a winning mentality.

Your new #1, Baylor. CRAZY!!!

TAMU with a decisive sweep at Arkansas with Rush having a solid match which is what we need to happen to get to next level. Arkansas will be one of the last teams in conference this season IMO
Didn't see the match but middles were very efficient and Hollan had a solid stat line and Rush had a coming out party. Lauren Davis stat line was only one that wasn't what we are looking for.

Georgia just beat TENNESSEE in four at home. That means Tennessee, a really good team last season, has lost to Ole Miss and Georgia who should be middle of the pack but we didn't. Granted we were on the road but still that is one that got away with our end game.

Next up Missouri on Sunday. Gonna be tough on the road but it would be a huge win against a top 3 team in the Conference
I saw us starting 2-2 in SEC but we could be undefeated just as easy.