Reverse sweep sends Texas A&M to first Elite Eight since 2001

Press conference video courtesy of Nebraska Athletics.

Match #30: #3 Texas A&M 3, #2 Louisville 2
S1: LOU, 25-23; S2: LOU, 25-22; S3: A&M, 25-23; S4: A&M, 25-18; S5: A&M, 15-12
Records: Texas A&M (26-4, 14-1), Louisville (26-7, 16-4)
Box Score

Down 2-0, Jamie Morrison spoke with ESPN2 before the third set.

The Texas A&M head coach's message was all about responding, something he has pushed his team to do all season long.

As if they were watching the national telecast themselves, his Aggies did exactly that, pulling off an improbable reverse sweep of Louisville (26-7) on Friday night in Lincoln, Nebraska.

“We did what we’ve done all year,” Morrison said post-match. “We were gritty. We believed in each other. We played good volleyball. We showed the world who we are in the biggest moments, and that’s what we’re going to continue to do.”

The response allows A&M to continue playing.

Appearing in their second consecutive Sweet 16, the five-set victory sends the Aggies (26-4) to their first Elite Eight since 2001.

By beating last year's national runner-up, A&M will face No. 1 overall seed Nebraska on Sunday evening.

The Ags are there in large part because of Kyndal Stowers' end-of-set heroics.

“A year ago, I wasn’t even playing volleyball,” Stowers told ESPN2. “To be making it to the Elite Eight this year, it’s just a testament to how much work we’ve put in. The Lord has had it out for us. He had this planned a long time ago, so it’s just a blessing to be living this out.

“Our big word for our team is grit, and I think we showed that. Coming into the third set down two is not an easy task, so coming into that with balls-to-the-wall defense, at all times, the block was up. We were rolling on all cylinders. It just felt amazing.”

Tied 23-23 and two points from elimination, back-to-back kills from the Baylor transfer kept A&M alive as the Aggies escaped a back-and-forth third that featured 15 ties.

Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Logan Lednicky led the Aggies with 20 kills. She now has 1,637 in her career and is three behind Hollann Hans for third in program history.

Stowers then went on to close out the fourth and fifth sets with kills to finish with 17 total.

Closing out a set in the third — and subsequently the fourth and fifth — was much easier said than done for A&M, especially early.

The Aggies were up 17-12 in the first and 22-17 in the second, but long Louisville runs pushed A&M to the brink — publicly and privately.

“I'm proud of my team,” Morrisonsaid. “We took them out in the hallway. We talked about belief, and for some reason, in my head, I was like, ‘We’re going to be OK. We’ll figure out a way to get out of this.’”

Post-match, Logan Lednicky revealed that a piece of paper near the scoring table encouraged the Aggies to keep fighting in the third.

“I don’t know who put that there, I think it’s a God thing, but it said, ‘Something great is about to happen,’” Lednicky explained. “We had just come out strong in that third, and we were all like, ‘Why not us? Something great is about to happen.’ So I think that’s super cool.”

Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Ifenna Cos-Okpalla (1) had 12 total blocks, which represents her second-highest output this season (13 at Tennessee on Nov. 2).

Ifenna Cos-Okpalla was a wall in the fourth, blocking everything in sight, as A&M finally looked like the team they have been all season long.

Leading 21-14, a 4-0 run from Louisville again tested A&M’s ability to respond, but this time, the Aggies answered the call and forced a fifth set.

With their season on the line in the fifth, the Aggies proved what they stated earlier this week — they belong here.

It began with tie after tie, until an exciting 50-second long rally gave A&M a 12-10 lead, as well as the momentum they needed to finish strong. In fitting fashion, a kill from Stowers secured their trip to the regional finals.

Lednicky led the Aggies with 20 kills and seven blocks.

Cos-Okpalla was a dynamic force with 12 blocks and nine kills.

Against the nation’s No. 2 blocking team, the Aggies out-blocked the Cardinals 17-14 with a season-high in stuffs.

The win continues a trend of growth, as the program has reached a new height each season under coach Morrison, something that Lednicky and Cos-Okpalla have been a large part of.

“It means everything,” Lednicky said. “It’s a testament to the hard work. We have put in all four years. Everyone’s put in all season. The staff off the court, there’s so much more that goes into it than just what you all see.

“It means the world to me. Growing up an Aggie, getting to represent A&M was my goal growing up. It’s super emotional getting this opportunity to have grown this program to get this far and building it for years to come.”

At least for the night, A&M's response is legendary.

Keeping it rolling through Sunday would be historic.