Photo by Matt Sachs, TexAgs
Texas A&M Volleyball
Smooth Play: Aggie volleyball cruises to 3-1 win over Ole Miss
"Slow is smooth; smooth is fast."
This was the lesson that head coach Laurie Corbelli wanted to instill in the Texas A&M volleyball team after a disappointing loss to LSU on Thursday night. Based on the results, preaching patience worked just fine for the long-time Aggie coach.
Texas A&M faced off against a 20-5 Ole Miss squad on Sunday, moving to 16-8 and 8-5 in conference play after the win. After a lackluster first set, the Aggies took it to the Rebels for the remainder of the match.
Corbelli's team responded well to her message, as four players posted double-digit kills on the attack. Four players also had more than 10 digs, while the whole team posted only 12 errors for the match.
Matt Sachs, TexAgs
Freshman Stephanie Aiple had a great game passing on Sunday, posting 51 assists.
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Junior Angela Lowak produced a season-high 16 kills on the match to lead the Aggies. Freshman Stephanie Aiple had 51 assists over four sets.
The Aggies' defensive effort was key in the second and fourth sets, as they held Ole Miss to hitting percentages of .086 and .100, respectively.
Lowak was a large part of the Aggies' defensive success, posting a team-high 15 digs.
"After the first set we realized that there were some adjustments we needed to make, especially on defense," Lowak said. "I know there was a tremendous change in our blocking in the second set."
While Corbelli was pleased with the defensive improvement, she believed that the girls' mental focus was the key to the match.
"Patience is such a big thing in volleyball," Corbelli said. "When you get impatient, that's when the errors start happening. That's when you start to panic a little. I thought they showed great patience today. Patience provided smoothness, and the smoothness allowed us to be fast."
Those comments come as high praise from a head coach that questioned her team's mental make-up following the loss on Thursday. Corbelli decided not to worry about the loss, but to trust in her players.
"You just have to have a short memory," she said. We've had some awesome practices since that LSU match. The leadership on the team and the older players, I trust them. I know they want it so badly. They're loyal, they're determined, they love Texas A&M volleyball, and I trust that."
The feeling from within the Texas A&M volleyball program is that the team is on the upswing, playing aggressive and focused as it heads into the home stretch of the season. Hopefully those feelings manifest on the court, and not just the locker room.
The Aggies grew up a little between LSU and Ole Miss, adding wisdom and patience to a talented line-up. If the rest of the season goes as smoothly as today's match, it could be a fun ride.
The Aggies play next on Sunday, November 16 at 1:00 p.m. when the Tennessee Volunteers come to Reed Arena.
This was the lesson that head coach Laurie Corbelli wanted to instill in the Texas A&M volleyball team after a disappointing loss to LSU on Thursday night. Based on the results, preaching patience worked just fine for the long-time Aggie coach.
Texas A&M faced off against a 20-5 Ole Miss squad on Sunday, moving to 16-8 and 8-5 in conference play after the win. After a lackluster first set, the Aggies took it to the Rebels for the remainder of the match.
Corbelli's team responded well to her message, as four players posted double-digit kills on the attack. Four players also had more than 10 digs, while the whole team posted only 12 errors for the match.
Matt Sachs, TexAgs
Freshman Stephanie Aiple had a great game passing on Sunday, posting 51 assists.
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The Aggies' defensive effort was key in the second and fourth sets, as they held Ole Miss to hitting percentages of .086 and .100, respectively.
Lowak was a large part of the Aggies' defensive success, posting a team-high 15 digs.
"After the first set we realized that there were some adjustments we needed to make, especially on defense," Lowak said. "I know there was a tremendous change in our blocking in the second set."
While Corbelli was pleased with the defensive improvement, she believed that the girls' mental focus was the key to the match.
"Patience is such a big thing in volleyball," Corbelli said. "When you get impatient, that's when the errors start happening. That's when you start to panic a little. I thought they showed great patience today. Patience provided smoothness, and the smoothness allowed us to be fast."
Those comments come as high praise from a head coach that questioned her team's mental make-up following the loss on Thursday. Corbelli decided not to worry about the loss, but to trust in her players.
"You just have to have a short memory," she said. We've had some awesome practices since that LSU match. The leadership on the team and the older players, I trust them. I know they want it so badly. They're loyal, they're determined, they love Texas A&M volleyball, and I trust that."
The feeling from within the Texas A&M volleyball program is that the team is on the upswing, playing aggressive and focused as it heads into the home stretch of the season. Hopefully those feelings manifest on the court, and not just the locker room.
The Aggies grew up a little between LSU and Ole Miss, adding wisdom and patience to a talented line-up. If the rest of the season goes as smoothly as today's match, it could be a fun ride.
The Aggies play next on Sunday, November 16 at 1:00 p.m. when the Tennessee Volunteers come to Reed Arena.
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