No. 6 Texas A&M suffers first loss, falls to Mississippi State in four sets

The No. 6 Aggies came into their second home series against the winless Mississippi State Bulldogs riding a perfect 4-0 start to their season. Texas A&M quickly had their hands full with a Mississippi State team that found its footing. The Aggies took a highly-contested first set, 25-21, but proceeded to drop the next three (21-25, 17-25, 23-25) and drop their first match of the season.

Senior setter Camille Conner finished with a match-high 41 assists, while sister-duo Lauren and Morgan Davis recorded 10 and 13 kills, respectively. Sophomore Treyaunna Rush was a close third on the team with nine kills. As a team, Texas A&M registered 10 total blocks, while Mississippi State recorded 14.

Set One: Texas A&M 25-21

Lia Musgrave, TexAgs

The Aggies took the first set, 25-21, but the smiles would soon vanish as Mississippi State stunned the home side, winning the next three sets.

To start the match, Mississippi State recorded two quick points before A&M would answer back by rattling off four straight, capped off by a kill from Lauren Davis. From there, the set was a back-and-forth contest, with each team trading blows until Texas A&M head coach Bird Kuhn called a timeout down 14-15. After falling 14-16 and 15-17 respectively, Lauren Davis registered two kills to bring the Aggies within one. A&M soon took a 19-18 lead, causing Mississippi State to burn a timeout.

State continued to keep the set close throughout the set. A Mallory Talbert kill turned the score to 22-20, but an attacking error on Lauren Davis would keep the Aggies from taking their first three-point lead of the set until Lauren Davis redeemed herself with a key kill to bring the score to 24-21. A&M notched set-point on the next serve, clinching the first set, 25-21.

Set Two: Mississippi State 25-21

A&M looked to carry the momentum from the first set, but Mississippi State started the second set by quickly taking a 4-1 lead. Camryn Ennis registered a kill to end State’s 0-4 run, and a few serves later, A&M tied the set at 7-7. The sides continued to swap leads until Morgan Davis recorded back-to-back kills to give A&M a 15-13 advantage.

Mississippi State drew even at 15-15, but another kill by Morgan Davis put the Aggies back on top. A&M won the next two points and forced Mississippi State to call a timeout, down 18-15.

Mississippi State came out of the timeout hungry and brought the score to 20-19 before a kill by Treyaunna Rush gave A&M another two-point advantage. The Bulldogs’ resiliency paid dividends as they recorded six straight points, taking the second set, 25-21.

Set Three: Mississippi State 25-17

Mississippi State quickly jumped out to a four-point lead to start the set and causing Kuhn to take a very early timeout. Out of the timeout, Mississippi State continued their torrid start, taking an 8-0 lead and forcing A&M to call their final timeout of the set. The Aggies eventually quashed the run. A&M continued to slowly chip away, eventually bringing the score within two following a Ciera Hecht kill, 11-13.

However, the Aggies could not get any closer as the Bulldogs extended their lead. The score read 20-12 before A&M got its next point.

A&M fought valiantly, but the lead was insurmountable, and a double hit error by Camille Connor finished off a disappointing third set for the Aggies.

Set Four: Mississippi State 25-23

A&M found themselves in a quick 0-2 hole before breaking out for four straight points, capped off by a kill from Morgan Christon. Mississippi State forged a 7-7 tie, but a kill from Mallory Talbert began a run of three straight points for the Aggies, triggering a Mississippi State timeout. A&M grew their lead to four, 13-9, after back-to-back kills from Lauren Davis and Camryn Ennis, but Mississippi State closed the gap to one point, 15-14.

After the A&M timeout, the sides traded blows until a kill by Lauren Davis gave A&M another two-point lead. Mississippi State quickly tied the set, 20-20, and one serve later, they took the lead. Morgan Davis answered back with a kill, and two serves later, she registered another for a 22-22 draw.

Back-to-back kills by Mississippi State brought up match-point, 24-22. After a timeout, A&M drew within one, but Mississippi State took the match on the ensuing serve and a kill by Gabby Waden.

Postgame Thoughts

“Tonight, we learned a hard, challenging lesson,” said Kuhn. “You have to respect your opponent no matter what and execute at the highest level. Mississippi State wanted it, and they outworked us. It comes down to playing the game. You’ve got to play the match. Props to them because they executed, and we did not.”

Tomorrow, senior setter Camille Conner will be playing in her final match in Reed Arena, and the feelings for her are bittersweet. “I’m just excited,” Conner said. “I know we still have the spring, but just to have the opportunity to play in front of the 12th Man, in front of my family, and with my teammates, it’s just so cool, and it’s cool to play in Reed Arena. I’m really excited.”

A&M has an opportunity to turn around and the Mississippi State Bulldogs tomorrow, and Morgan Davis knows that they will be up for the rematch. “Something we say a lot as a team is that we have to go in with a chip on our shoulder,” she said. “We have to treat every game like it’s the championship game. I think it is a really good opportunity for us to get better.”

Up Next: The Aggies will look to bounce back Thursday, November 5, at Reed Arena to finish the two-match home set against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. First-serve will be at 7:00 p.m.