Aggies Power Past Tennessee Tech in Three Sets – Texas A&M Athletics

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The Texas A&M volleyball team (8-3) wrapped up non-conference play with a sweep of Tennessee Tech (3-9) on Saturday afternoon in its WKU Invitational finale inside Diddle Arena. The three-set win (25-16, 25-19, 25-17) marked A&M’s fifth straight-set victory of the season.
 
In a defensive showing, the Aggies held the Golden Eagles to a .042 hitting percentage, while freshman Ifenna Cos-Okpalla, who earned her first collegiate start, finished with 10 blocks. Her 10 stuffs broke a three-set program record in the 25-point rally scoring era, while they tied for the fourth-most ever in a match during the rally scoring era.
 
Madison Bowser and Caroline Meuth led the way offensively with eight kills apiece, as Bowser hit for a team-best .467 in the match. Logan Lednicky delivered a team- and career-high four service aces, marking the sixth-most in a three-set match by an Aggie in the 25-point rally scoring era.
 

Cos-Okpalla made an impact early, as a kill and solo stuff by the freshman gave A&M an early 4-3 edge. Lednicky registered a pair of aces in a five-point surge for the Aggies, marking the third-straight match that the rookie recorded at least two. Back-to-back kills from Bowser helped the Aggies take their largest lead, before an ace from Meuth lifted the Maroon & White to a 22-14 advantage. A block by Lednicky and Bowser pushed A&M to set point, before grabbing the set, 25-16, on Bowser’s match-leading fifth kill.
 

The Aggies trailed to start the second, before an attacking error by the Golden Eagles shifted momentum. A&M embarked on a 7-1 run, highlighted by Lednicky’s fourth ace, for a 13-9 advantage. A second solo stuff from Cos-Okpalla, followed by an ace from Elena Karakasi, pushed the Maroon & White ahead, 18-11. Lexi Guinn’s first-career kill gave A&M a five-point cushion, before Cos-Okpalla’s third solo block sealed it, 25-19.
 

Two more blocks by Cos-Okpalla helped the rookie reach a career-high in the opening points of the third set. A kill from Karakasi forced the Golden Eagles to use a timeout, trailing 14-10. A handful of Tennessee Tech errors pushed A&M to its largest lead, sitting at a seven-point advantage. A kill from Faye Wilbricht off the bench helped the Aggies charge ahead, 21-12, while her second kill sealed it, 25-17.
 
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