Texas A&M volleyball is 5-0 and having its best start in 12 years.
The Aggies faced off against 2-4 Loyola Chicago on Saturday, Sept. 2, in what would be the final match of the Falcon Invitational for both teams , a competition that had the Aggies winning their first two matches against Wright State and Bowling Green, 3-2 and 3-0, respectively.
A&M was able to defeat the Ramblers 25-16, 25-21 and 25-18 in a quick 3-0 sweep.
The first set quickly had a score of 1-0 with a kill for the Aggies from sophomore middle blocker Morgan Perkins. However, the Ramblers kept it competitive by going back and forth with the Aggies until they were both tied at 8.
At this point in the first set, the Maroon and White got into rhythm, making it 12-8 with the 12th point coming from a kill by sophomore middle blocker Ifenna Cos-Okpolla, forcing the Ramblers to take a timeout.
Immediately after the timeout, the Aggies made it 13-8 from a kill by sophomore opposite hitter Logan Lednicky. A&M kept its run going, forcing the Ramblers into another timeout with a set score of 21-14. The 25th and finishing kill of the set came from freshman outside hitter Bianna Muoneke.
Loyola Chicago was able to start the second set with a 1-0 lead off of a service error by junior setter Nisa Buzlutepe. The Aggies and Ramblers continued to rally until two kills from Lednicky and Perkins made it 11-8 for the Aggies.
The Ramblers forced their way back and made it 16-15 off of a kill from senior outside hitter Karlie McNabb and a service ace from right-side hitter Esma Ajanovic. A&M then surged ahead 21-17, but three attack errors from the Aggies allowed Loyola Chicago to keep it close at 21-20.
A&M was still able to win the second set 25-21 off of a kill from Muoneke.
The final set of the match saw the Maroon and White come in and start 5-0 off of two more kills from Lednicky and another kill from Cos-Okpalla. This forced the Ramblers to call a timeout after the fourth score.
The Ramblers got on the board with two kills from senior middle blocker Anna Feldkamp, one kill from graduate student outside hitter Addie Barnes and an attack error from Lednicky.
The four points from Loyola Chicago were not enough to stop A&M from growing its lead, as the Aggies made it 11-4 and forced the Ramblers to take another timeout.
A&M’s 12-4 lead was slowed down, as the Ramblers scored 4 straight points off of two kills from McNabb and a service ace from freshman setter Kylie Schulze.
The Ramblers then forced an attack error from graduate student outside hitter Caroline Meuth.
Despite this, the Aggies cruised through the rest of the set and won 25-18 off of a kill from Cos-Okpalla. A&M will look to continue its five-game win streak at its Reed Arena home opener at the Texas A&M Invitational, starting on Thursday, Sept. 7, against Utah State.