No. 12 Texas A&M heads out of town for an important midweek SEC match.
Riding a six-match winning streak that has seen them start a perfect 3-0 in conference play, the Aggies (10-5, 3-0) face Oklahoma (8-4, 1-2) on Wednesday in Norman, with first serve set for 6 p.m. CT at McCasland Field House.
Senior outside hitter Kyndal Stowers had a record-breaking match against Mississippi State on Sunday with 26.5 points in a three-set match. She scored 21 kills, five aces and one block, contributing more than an entire set worth of points to the Aggie cause.
“Aces are a byproduct of our serving. We’re constantly trying to make (the opponent) uncomfortable,” head coach Jamie Morrison said on TexAgs Live.
Because of Stowers’ unbelievable performance, she was named the SEC’s Offensive Player of the Week.
Further, her form was required as two members of the Maroon & White regular lineup, middle blocker Eliza Sharp and outside hitter Natalie Ring, did not see action vs. the Bulldogs.
Each player on the A&M roster has pulled their weight and contributed in any way possible so far during conference matches. With many unexpected injuries and lineup changes, each player has brought cohesive and competitive energy to each match, ready to take on any adversity they may come to face.
The talent and chemistry this team has built after a rigorous preseason has led the squad to drop no sets so far in the SEC.
“It’s that problem-solving piece of we’re not going to have all phases on all days,” Morrison told TexAgs Live. “If our pass-set offense isn’t firing as well as it can, can our block and D step up and hold them to a lower efficiency? Can you get all of these phases going in December when it matters most?”
At this point, A&M is among an exclusive list of unbeatens in the conference, joining Florida and Georgia.
The next step comes against a Sooner squad that has played — and lost — both of the other undefeated SEC teams.
Oklahoma is currently unranked and has begun SEC play as 1-2, but the Sooners showed their dominance at home earlier this season by defeating a great Ohio State team in a five-set toss-up.
“A big key to have a blueprint of who they are; I can tell you they’re going to run fast,” Morrison said earlier this week. “We’re going to have to deal with some speed on offense, and that’s the piece of who that team is.”
The crimson and cream are led by junior outside hitter Alaleh Tolliver with 152 kills out of Oklahoma’s 560. Oklahoma runs a very balanced offense statistically, much like A&M.
These next five days will be a test of A&M’s focus and sense of urgency as a trip to Fayetteville follows Wednesday’s excursion to Norman.
