No. 25 Texas A&M dominates Arkansas, 3-0, pick up sixth consecutive win
No. 25 Texas A&M Volleyball (17-5, 9-3) swept the Arkansas Razorbacks (2-10, 8-16) to extend their win streak to six. The Aggies made quick work of the Hogs, picking up a valuable conference win as they look to continue climbing the ladder in the SEC.
Set One: Texas A&M 25-10
The Aggies easily took care of the Razorbacks in set one, dominating on every end of the court. Arkansas struggled offensively, hitting -.129 with only four kills in the set. This permitted easy returns for the Aggies, totaling 15 digs to set up the attack offense. Treyaunna Rush led with four of the Aggies’ 14 kills. The Texas A&M 20-8 lead allowed multiple Aggies to see court time and contribute to the 25-10 victory. Allison Fields recorded two service aces in the set. The Aggies’ totaled a .440 hitting percentage, never giving the Razorbacks any opportunity to seize momentum.
Set Two: Texas A&M 25-18
Although the Aggies were never out of their comfort zone, the Razorbacks took an early lead through the midway points of set two, leading 13-9. Texas A&M had a response, going on a 12-2 run as the offense emerged. Hollann Hans was on the service line as the Aggie run started, serving bullets to test the Razorback return defense. She contributed four kills in the set while Makena Patterson followed with three. In the second half of the set, the Aggie offense located their kills all around the court and took control en route to the 25-18 win.
Set Three: Texas A&M 25-13
Texas A&M cruised to a 25-13 set and match victory, racking up an enormous .640 hitting percentage. Hans led the way for the Aggies in set three with six kills, dominating the floor as usual. More Aggies saw playing time in set three, getting valuable game experience and adding to the Texas A&M win. Similar to set one, the Hogs were muted early and were never given an opportunity to contest the A&M lead.
Postgame Thoughts
“Working hard in the spring has made it a lot easier this year,” said Makena Patterson, the SEC’s leading blocker. “Staying disciplined has been a big thing that has been my focus more this year than ever before.” Regarding the A&M win streak, she shared, “it feels like everything is paying off. Momentum has been a huge word for us this year. We do have the momentum right now, and it feels so great.”
Hans attested to Patterson’s role in the Aggie win.
“We knew who we were keying in on,” Hans said. “[Patterson] did a perfect job of shutting down their biggest hitter.
“We focused on ourselves this week. We got new people in today, and it was awesome to see that. We’re happy with the win but already looking forward to LSU. Playing one game at a time has been a big thing for us.”
“I’m probably more proud of that win because of the response, and it was true team win,” said head coach Laura “Bird” Kuhn. “They executed at such a high level. Every coach would be proud of that.
“Our defense really showed up. We’re proud of the momentum we’re carrying right now. [Experience for different players] is very valuable because they do it every day in practice, and they showed it when they went out there to execute. They are who they are, no matter the situation.”
Up Next: The Aggies head to Baton Rouge on Sunday to take on the LSU Tigers at 3 p.m. and return home on Wednesday to host the Auburn Tigers. First serve is set for 8:00 p.m. at Reed Arena.