Aggies Outlast Rebels in Five-Set Affair – Texas A&M Athletics

OXFORD, Miss. – The Texas A&M volleyball team (9-3, 1-0 SEC) outlasted Ole Miss (4-7, 0-1 SEC) inside Gillom Sports Center on Wednesday night, taking down the Rebels in five sets (19-25, 25-22, 26-28, 25-19, 15-10).
 
Leading the way with her ninth double-digit kill performance of the season was Caroline Meuth, who finished with a career-high 24 kills on .333 hitting. Elena Karakasi commanded the Aggies’ offense, finishing with a season-high 53 assists and recording her third double-double of the year, adding a team-high 11 digs.
 

After trailing early, the Aggies chipped away at their deficit and took their first lead behind a pair of kills and trio of aces from Meuth. The Rebels responded with six unanswered points to regain a four-point lead over A&M midway through the set. Despite a team-leading fourth kill from Meuth, and a kill from Karakasi to spoil set point for Ole Miss, the Rebels held on for the 25-19 opening-set win.
 

An ace and a kill from Meuth kept the second frame close, as A&M carried a slim 15-14 advantage into the media break. A kill from Ifenna Cos-Okpalla forced Ole Miss to call a timeout, trailing 18-16. Kills from Meuth and Bowser kept the Aggies in front by a pair, before an attacking error by the Rebels handed the Maroon & White the second set, 25-22.  
 

Three different Aggies registered a kill in the opening points of the third, while a 5-0 run created separation, helping A&M jump out to a 16-7 advantage on a kill from Ciera Hecht. The Rebels responded with four-straight points, but a kill from Meuth, and a block by Cos-Okpalla and Lednicky pushed A&M back ahead by six. Ole Miss fought back to come within one, but a kill and solo block from Cos-Okpalla prevented the Rebels from taking the lead, before Ole Miss closed on a 3-0 run to complete its comeback and take the third set, 28-26.
 
With Mia Johnson behind the service, the Aggies pulled ahead, 8-5, to start the fourth. Cos-Okpalla hammered her fourth kill to spoil the Rebels’ momentum, keeping A&M in the lead, 12-10, before Ole Miss used four-straight points to jump out in front. A block and a kill from Hecht pushed the Aggies back in the lead before A&M closed on a 7-0 run for a 25-19 win.
 

An ace from Underwood and a kill from Meuth made it 3-1 in favor of the Aggies to start the deciding set….