A&M volleyball snaps five-match skid with four-set win over Missouri
Texas A&M (6-11) volleyball came back to secure a dominant 3-1 victory over Missouri (2-15) on Friday night at Reed Arena (21-25, 25-14, 25-19, 25-23) despite a rocky beginning to the match.
Senior Mallory Talbert set a career-high in kills, spiking 17 total, along with two blocks. Senior Camryn Ennis recorded her first double-double of the season, with 12 kills and a career-high 25 digs, while team captain Camille Conner had a match-high 51 total assists. Taylor Voss slammed two service aces.
“After the first set, Missouri really put their foot on the gas,” Texas A&M head coach Bird Kuhn said. “We knew we needed to execute from the service line to get them out of system and manage their pins.
“Our offense got going, and that’s what made them feel more pressure in sets two and three, and then we were able to finish strong in the fourth. I was really pleased with our composure at the end.”
The first set began with a dominant Aggie defense as they racked up three blocks, stopping Missouri from setting up their offense. However, as the frame progressed, Texas A&M lost its footing while the Tigers forged ahead.
Talbert held Texas A&M’s offense together with six total kills in the set as they fought to come back from a four-point deficit at 16-20. The Aggies brought the total to 22-20, but the Tigers pushed the score to a 25-21 win.
“I think we started off pretty slow, but we definitely checked in, which led to an automatic shift from everyone,” Ennis said. “I think the bench felt it, and everyone on the court felt it. We were all playing for each other, and it was really fun.”
The Aggies looked set on redemption in the second set as they bulldozed the Tigers, maintaining an 11-point lead for most of the frame. Missouri managed scattered points but could not regain enough momentum to compete with Texas A&M as the Aggies won the set, 25-14.
A&M continued its dominant offensive performance in the third, leading for the entire frame as they shut the Tigers down. The Aggies put up a five-point streak with Voss behind the service line, pulling Texas A&M to 15-8 as they played a quick offensive game and capitalized on Missouri’s errors. A Talbert kill concluded the third set, 25-19.
Missouri maintained a lead for most of the fourth set. The Aggies started to fall behind as the Tigers capitalized on the momentum and pulled ahead. Lauren Davis crushed a kill to send the total to 19-18, beginning a back-and-forth rally as the Tigers struggled to hold onto the lead.
Talbert tipped the ball to tie the score at 22-22, forcing Missouri to call a timeout. Off the break, Davis smashed a kill to push the Aggies ahead before the Tigers matched it with a kill of their own. Two consecutive kills by Davis marked the game-winning points, closing the final set at 25-23.
“We are going to make the most of our opportunity tomorrow for senior night,” Talbert said. “It is an honor to spend four years here, so we are going to cherish every minute.”
Texas A&M will conclude its series against Missouri on Nov. 27 at Reed Arena. The match is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.
