It has been a rough season for the Texas A&M volleyball team, but the Aggies were able to send their four seniors out on a high note, sweeping South Carolina 25-18, 25-19, 25-18, on Sunday afternoon at Reed Arena.
Seniors Gabby Litwin, Kiara McGee, Amy Nettles and Ashlie Reasor were all recognized after the match for their careers, as was Stephanie Aiple, who had to retire prior to the season due to injury.
“It was amazing to be able to find a way to get them all on the floor to start and play most of the time,” head coach Laurie Corbelli said after the match. “It was just a really satisfying finish to Reed Arena this season, and I’m super proud of them all."
McGee racked up a match-high 15 kills, hitting .433 in the process, while Reasor — inserted into the starting lineup for only the third time in SEC play — recorded five kills and 12 digs. McGee and Nettles both notched 11 digs, giving McGee her third double-double of the season.
“It was surreal, it was awesome,” said Reasor, who started all three sets and played all six rotations. “It was really fun to end my career at Reed Arena like that, being able to serve and play defense. It was a day that I will never forget.”
Camille Conner dished out a match-high 34 assists as the Aggies hit .312, their highest hitting percentage since sweeping Georgia on September 29.
A&M grabbed the momentum early in the first set with a 6-1 run, and even as South Carolina tied it back up on two occasions and took the lead at one point, the Aggies scored the final four points to close out the opening set victory.
McGee and Hollann Hans combined for nine kills in the second set as the Aggies held the Gamecocks to a paltry .029 hitting percentage.
The third set was much more competitive and featured six ties and one lead change, but McGee exploded for eight kills without an error to lead the Aggies to a victory in what will be her last match in Reed Arena.
“We knew how we wanted to go out — what statement we wanted to make,” McGee said. “I was just going out there and playing my hardest and putting myself in the best position possible so I can hit every ball, and I just felt good.”
The Aggies return to the court on Wednesday, November 22, for a road contest against Mississippi State. First serve is scheduled for 3 p.m. and can be seen on SEC Network +.