Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Texas A&M
Tech Drops Nail Biter to Aggies
September 19, 2007 | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 19, 2007
LUBBOCK, Texas - Facing an 0-2 deficit on the road in College Station, Texas Tech volleyball rallied to win two-straight games, before Texas A&M came out with the 3-2 (27-30, 21-30, 30-21, 30-27, 10-15) win Wednesday night.
With the defeat, the Red Raiders are now 7-5 on the year and 1-2 in conference. The Aggies, ranked in the Top 25 until just recently, improved to 11-2 and 1-2 in the Big 12.
Four Tech players recorded double-digit kills on the evening, led by Michelle Flores' 18 on .270 hitting. Senior Amy Gandy added a season-best16 kills to go along with 16 digs for her sixth double-double of the season. Alicia Ostmeyer also had 16 kills, a new career high, on .500 hitting to go along with four blocks. Brandi Hood chipped in 10 kills of her own in addition to three blocks, while Emily Ziegler dished out a career-best 58 assists from her setter position. Sophomore Jenn Harrell led the team with 18 digs, while freshman Becca Baldwin contributed three blocks off the bench for the Red Raiders.
The Aggies took advantage of Tech's early hitting woes to take an 18-8 lead midway through the first game. The Red Raiders responded with a big 6-1 rally to put the score at 19-14. They would eventually cut it to 29-27 behind six kills from Ostmeyer, before A&M finally claimed the 30-27 win in game one.
The Red Raiders got off to a good start early in game two, but they could not overcome a blistering hitting attack from A&M and lost the momentum. Tech made a late push, but the damage had already been done as the Aggies took game two 30-21.
Tech came out of the locker room hot and jumped out to a 17-9 advantage behind its own blistering attack. A&M made a run midway through to climb back into the game, but the Red Raiders pulled away late to take the game 30-21 on .467 hitting.
Game four started with the two rivals matching each other kill for kill. A&M pulled ahead with a slight two-point lead, before Tech came rolling back to take a 17-13 advantage midway through. The two went back and forth until the Aggies made a late run to pull within two, but the Red Raiders held on to take the 30-27 win and force game five.
Both teams came out determined in the fifth game and found themselves staring at a 5-5 tie early on. A&M took control from there, however, and pulled ahead by two. Tech mounted a small run late, but the Aggies held on to win it 15-10 and claim the match.
A&M was led by Sarah Ammerman and Mary Batis with 21 kills apiece.
Tech will look to rebound Saturday afternoon, when it travels to Lawrence for a meeting with Kansas. First serve is set for 1 p.m.
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