College Station, Texas – Despite a match-high 21 kills from All-American Tara Mueller, the No. 6 Nebraska volleyball team dropped a 3-1 decision to Texas A&M (28-26, 17-25, 25-19, 25-19) Wednesday night.
Mueller, who reached the 20-kill mark for the second time this season, led three Huskers (9-3, 2-1 Big 12) in double figures in kills, as the Aggies (9-1, 2-0 Big 12) picked up their first win over Nebraska in the last 20 matches in the series since 1999.
Lindsey Licht had 13 kills on .423 hitting, while Hannah Werth added 11 kills and 12 digs. Nebraska out-hit the Aggies, .253-.236, but the Huskers were hurt by 11 service errors and six Aggie aces, compared to only two for the Huskers. It was the first time NU out-hit an opponent but lost since falling at Colorado in 2006.
Sarah Ammerman led the Aggies with a team-high 18 kills, while Mary Batis chipped in 14, as Texas A&M hit .333 in the final two sets of the night after the teams split the first two sets.
The opener was a lost opportunity for the Huskers, as they had three chances to win the set, but could not convert before falling 28-26. NU out-hit the Aggies, .233.-220, but were hurt by five service errors, the last coming on the Huskers’ first chance to win the set.
Licht had four kills for the Huskers, while Ammerman totaled seven kills for Texas A&M. The Huskers got off to quick start behind the serve of Sydney Anderson, winning the first four rallies to take a 4-0 lead after a Licht kill. NU led 7-4 after Licht’s third kill of the set.
The Aggies fought back, winning four of the next five rallies to pull even at eight. The teams traded points until the Huskers used a 4-1 spurt, turning a 17-all deadlock into a 21-18 lead after a Brooke Delano kill. The Aggies clawed back, pulling even at 22 on an ace by Ammerman and the teams traded points until a Kori Cooper kill put the Huskers gave the Huskers a chance at set point at 24-23.
The teams traded service errors before Lindsey Miller’s kill tied the score at 25. NU took one last least at 26-25 on a Delano kill, but a hitting miscue tied the score before a Mary Batis gave the Aggies their first chance to win the set. The Aggies took advantage, as Miller and Kristen Schevikhoven combined on a block of Mueller - the Aggies only block of the set – to take the set, 28-26.
The Huskers came back in the second set, using strong serving from Anderson to key an early run on their way to a 25-17 victory to even the match. NU out-hit the Aggies .343-.057, as Mueller had six kills on .600 hitting, while the Huskers totaled 5.5 blocks in the set. Anderson did most of the damage at the service line, running off nine straight points as part of a 10-0 run to give the Huskers a 10-1 lead.
Texas A&M tried to close the gap, pulling to within 16-9, but a block by Cooper and Anderson began a 4-1 spurt that gave the Huskers a 20-10 lead after a pair of Mueller kills. NU eventually pushed the lead to 24-14 on an Anderson kill and a Mueller kill eventually sent the teams to the locker room tied at one.
In the third set, Texas A&M used a strong offensive and serving attack to post a 25-19 win. The Aggies out-hit NU, .333-.238 and had three aces in the set. A&M used a 6-1 run to turn an early deficit into a 7-4 lead after a Husker hitting error. Nebraska battled back, as Werth notched a kill and an ace to pull NU within 7-6.
A Licht kill kept the Huskers within one at 11-10, but the Aggies ran off five of the next six points to take a 15-11 lead on a Batis ace. Nebraska fought back, pulling within 18-15 after a Mueller kill, but a service error and an Ammerman ace pushed the lead back to five points and forced a Husker timeout. Texas A&M continued the run with three more points as Ammerman’s second ace of the stretch made it 23-15. The Huskers made one last run, fighting off three set points to pull within 24-19 after back-to-back kills from Licht, but a service error ended the comeback and put NU in a 2-1 hole.
Nebraska fell behind early in the finale, as the Aggies won seven of the first eight rallies and eventually pushed the margin to 15-6 after a Batis kill. Nebraska chipped away, winning three straight rallies to pull within 15-9 after a Mueller kill, before a Jennifer Banse kill stemmed the run. Trailing 19-12, Nebraska fought back with three straight kills, as Delano put down a pair of kills to make it 19-15 and force an Aggie timeout. The Huskers climbed within 20-17 after a Mueller kill, but a kill from Alisia Kastmo and a Husker hitting miscue pushed the lead back to five points, at 22-17.
The Huskers will return home to take on No. 2 Texas Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. The match will be carried on selected Husker Sports Network stations and on Huskers.com. The match will also be telecast live statewide on NET.
