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Texas A&M volleyball opens SEC play with a sweep over Arkansas

Texas A&M opened Southeastern Conference play with an impressive 25-23, 25-23, 25-23 victory over Arkansas tonight at Reed Arena.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M opened Southeastern Conference play with an impressive 25-23, 25-23, 25-23 victory over Arkansas tonight at Reed Arena.

Highlighting the match was the Aggies’ comebacks in each of the first two sets, including a thrilling comeback in the second set in which A&M trailed 21-12 before pulling out the 25-23 win to take a 2-0 lead in the match.

Aggie sophomore middle blocker Makena Patterson led all players with a career-high 13 kills while hitting .478. She also had a team-high four blocks to finish with a match-high and career-high 15 points. Patterson’s former club teammate, Hailey Dirrigl, led Arkansas with seven kills.

A&M senior libero Amy Houser posted a match-high 19 digs, tying the school record for most digs in a three-set SEC match. Freshman defensive specialist Allison Fields also tallied double-digit digs with 11.

A&M junior outside hitter Brookah Palmer had a career-high four services aces and pitched in eight kills along with three blocks to finish with 14 points, and sophomore setter Camille Conner dished out 34 assists and contributed six kills.

As a team, A&M outhit the Razorbacks, .168 to .118, and led in kills (41-32), assists (41-29), aces (7-6), digs (54-46) and points (55-47.5). Arkansas led in blocks, 9.5 to 7.

UP NEXT

· The Aggies continue SEC play at Reed Arena on Sunday, Sept. 23 as the Aggies play host to the Georgia Bulldogs. First serve is at 2 p.m., and the match will be televised by SEC Network +. See below for upcoming promotions. Numerous promotions will be taking place, including First Responders Appreciation Day, in which active and retired first responder personnel can get two free tickets. Check 12thMan.com for the full list of promotions.

SET-BY-SET SUMMARIES

Set 1 – Texas A&M trailed by as many as 13-8 but chipped away at the deficit, using a 4-0 run to tie the score at 17-17 on an ace by junior outside hitter Hollann Hans. The teams began to trade sideouts until, with Arkansas leading, 20-19, Patterson and Hans had back-to-back kills to give A&M its first lead since 2-1. Conner continued the scoring, dumping the ball over for a kill. An Arkansas attack error put the Aggies up, 23-20, but an A&M service error put the Razorbacks within 23-21. Arkansas, however, served long on the next play to put the Aggies at set point. Arkansas, which was outhit, .225 to .108, then got a kill and a block before Conner got another dump kill to close out the set.

Set 2 – Arkansas used a 9-0 run early in the set to take an 11-4 lead and went on to build its largest lead at 16-6 before A&M mounted its remarkable comeback. The Aggies were within 17-9 when Palmer’s attack sailed long, but Aggie head coach Laura “Bird” Kuhn challenged the play, claiming Arkansas’ block was in the net. Following a lengthy review, A&M won the challenge, putting A&M within 17-10. Patterson followed with a kill and then teamed with Palmer for a block to extend the Aggies’ 4-0 scoring run. Arkansas, however, countered with a 4-0 run to build a 21-12 lead. A&M refused to give in and proceeded to reel off 10 unanswered points, including three kills and a block by Patterson, to give the Aggies a 22-21 lead. Arkansas, which was outhit, .083 to -.033, ended the rally with a kill and went up, 23-22, following an A&M attack error, but Patterson knotted the score at 23-23 with her seventh kill of set. An Arkansas attack error put A&M at set point, and Hans completed the comeback win with a kill.

Set 3 – It was the Aggies who jumped out to the early lead in the third set as A&M went up, 10-2. Arkansas got within four points six times until A&M went on a 4-0 run, highlighted by two Conner aces, to go up, 21-13. The Razorbacks then mounted their own furious comeback, outscoring A&M, 9-2, to get within 23-22. Patterson put the Aggies at match point with a kill, but Dirrigl countered with a kill off the block to keep the Razorbacks alive. Palmer then clinched the victory, tipping the ball over the block and to the open floor for the match-winning kill.

TEXAS A&M QUOTES

Head Coach Laura “Bird” Kuhn

On coming back and winning the second set…

“We weren’t passing. It was 4-4 and they went on a four-point run to put them up 8-4 and it spiraled for us. It happened this past weekend. It was frustrating. I personally enjoy those moments because that’s where we need to grow. It happened at practice yesterday and they felt it. I told them, ‘That’s when you need to respond. This is when you need to learn how to respond.’ Tonight they felt it and they actually did it. For them to come back and win that set is something they earned. They have to believe and keep working and grinding through that.”

On what challenging a call does for the team…

“You can’t preach to your kids that you’re going to fight through everything and not do it. We’re always going to do everything we can to slow it down and earn a point, anyway we can. Volleyball is such a game of momentum. When you feel that momentum, you have to steal it back and you have to hold on to it because that is key.”

On winning the third set…

“Anytime you can finish an SEC opponent in three sets, it is huge. Arkansas is a good team. They are going to be a solid team this year. We still need to execute at a higher level, always, but for us to finish like that is huge for us. We knew they were going to fight back. People are going to fight back, especially in the SEC. It’s always going to be a battle. You have to fight every point.”

Sophomore Middle Blocker Makena Patterson

On how it feels being that go-to person…

“I was on the bench when the run was starting, and I was just got so psyched to get in there. I knew I was just going to go in there and be confident, and we had absolutely nothing to lose in this situation because we have everything to gain. They [Arkansas] are trying to keep the lead. I think the coaches also gave me the confidence by saying you can do it.”

On if this game was a confidence builder for her…

“For sure. I also think having the competition in practice is a confidence booster but at the same time, I applaud the other middles for pushing me so much.”

Senior Libero Amy Houser

On getting first SEC win this season at home…

“In my career here, we have had a tough time with SEC openers home and away. So, coming out here after last weekend and getting into a practice this week, it is so encouraging to come out and do that. [Arkansas] had really good moments, but we didn’t back down.”

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