The A&M volleyball team snapped a seven-game losing streak against Kentucky on Sunday with a 3-1 upset of the No. 16 Wildcats.
Playing at home, No. 24 A&M totaled 12 blocks in its third consecutive victory, which bumps the Aggies to 6-3 in SEC play.
“I totally credit the team on this,” head coach Laurie Corbelli said. “They have worked hard to identify what they needed to change and how they are going to change it, and they put that into action. I’m really proud to be their coach.”
The first set began with back and forth play that included 10 ties. The Aggies pulled away at point 17 and ended the game 25-22.
Freshman right side Ashlie Reasor shined in the second set with six kills, totaling a career-high 15 by the end of the game.
“I wasn’t even thinking about the block when I was hitting and I knew I could trust my teammates that they were covering me,” Reasor said.
Despite a three-point run on Kentucky’s game point, the Aggies lost the third set, 25-17.
“You don’t even realize subconsciously you’re letting up, and it’s a crazy kind of aspect,” Corbelli said. “But it was really important that we started to get rolling more with our offense, started to get tougher serving at the end that set, set three. And losing a set, it was so easy of them to shrug it off, and almost looked forward to set four. Like, ‘Let’s get this started. Let’s go.’”
A&M took the fourth set 25-16 to clinch the match. By Reasor’s third kill in a row, Kentucky called a timeout, down 9-4. A&M ran away with the set, not allowing Kentucky within seven points.
“When I think about this win, I just think it was just an Aggie win,” junior outside hitter Angela Lowak said. “Everyone was involved off the court, on the court. The communication was just so open and free and that just allowed all our players to perform to potential and really just enjoy being out there.”
Aggie volleyball will not play again until 7 p.m. Friday against Alabama (17-5) in Tuscaloosa.
Sophomore defensive specialist Katelyn Labhart serves Sunday in a 3-1 win over Kentucky.
Photo by Jeff Dundas.