Aggies bounce back with hard-fought victory over Bulldogs, 3-2
Texas A&M (4-2) emerged victorious after a hard-fought match against the Georgia Bulldogs (1-4) Friday night, concluding their Reed Arena series in a gripping five-set match (20-25, 25-21, 29-27, 21-25, 17-15).
Outside hitter Morgan Christon led the Aggies offensively, slamming 18 kills and three blocks. Libero Macy Carrabine scooped a match-high 24 digs, while Lauren Davis hit 12 kills and Taylor Voss nailed five service aces.
“Our team found a way to respond well after being in question, and challenged by the opponent. I love the fight,” said Texas A&M head coach Bird Kuhn postgame. “I believed they would respond. We had people in different roles, and that is where the fight and the determination to continue comes in. It makes me proud.”
The Aggies forged ahead at the beginning of the first set, bringing the total to 7-3 before the Bulldogs pushed through, managing to hold the lead for the frame. Four kills from Mallory Talbert and a service ace from Voss saw A&M holding their own, but the Aggies ultimately fell, 25-20.
The second set began with a Davis kill, setting the tone for the frame as the Aggies charged ahead for the first time in the series. A&M made a 4-0 run at the end of the set to bring the game to set point and closed it out, 25-21 after a Hecht kill.
The Aggies took advantage of their momentum to keep the score close for most of the third frame, culminating in a fight to the finish at the end of the set. The Aggies made it to set point five times before Davis smashed a kill to bring the frame home, 29-27.
The fourth set saw a heated matchup as each team scrabbled for a lead. The Bulldogs had an eight-point run to bring the total to 10-5 before a double block by Talbert and Davis halted their progress. At the close of the set, Ciera Hecht nailed a kill to tie the score up, 21-21, but a late Georgia run saw them taking the set, 25-21.
The final set began with two consecutive Aggie points, setting up a five-point lead before the Bulldogs caught up, bringing the set to a 12-12 tie as Texas A&M attempted to bring the set home. After an intense back-and-forth between the teams, Davis slammed a kill to bring the match home for the Aggies, 17-15.
“That was definitely a team win,” said Camille Conner. “We had a bunch of different people coming off the bench, so that brought energy onto the court. I’m really proud of how we played and how we finished that match.”
The Aggies are scheduled to play Ole Miss on Wednesday night at Reed Arena. First serve is slated for 7 p.m.
