Texas A&M
(#3) Stanford
No. 3 Stanford Ends Aggies' Run in Elite Eight
Dec 08, 2001 | Volleyball
December 08, 2001
The 15th-ranked Texas A&M volleyball team suffered a 30-21, 30-19, 30-20 loss to No. 3 Stanford in the regional championship game Saturday before 2,248 fans at Maples Pavilion.
In advancing to the Elite Eight, the Aggies went as far as any other team in school history and ended the year with a 26-6 mark. Meanwhile Stanford (31-2), who did not lose a match at home this season, moves on to the Final Four for the 13th time in 21 tries and will face Big 12 Champion Nebraska in the national semifinal.
The first game was tied at seven before the Aggies jumped out to a four-point lead on four consecutive kills. A&M maintained its lead until 16-12, when the Cardinal pounded out a 12-1 run to take a 24-17 lead. The Cardinal held a 27-20 lead when A&M's Brandi Mount put down a kill to pull the Aggies within six. However, a Stanford block followed by an A&M attack error and a Ogonna Nnamani kill gave the Cardinal the 30-21 win.
Stanford jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the second game before Texas A&M tallied three kills and a block to take its only lead of the game at 5-4. After a Logan Tom kill, back-to-back Mount kills gave the Aggies a 7-5 advantage. A kill and an ace by the Cardinal tied the score at seven, and three consecutive blocks gave Stanford the lead for good. After another kill by Mount, Stanford rattled off 10 straight points to take control of the game at 20-8. The Aggies would get no closer than seven points and trailed 26-19 before the Cardinal scored the final four points of the game to win 30-19.
A&M held a 9-8 lead in the third game, but Stanford rallied back to take a two-point lead at 11-9. The Aggies tied the score at 11 and again at 13, but never regained the advantage. With Stanford up five at 20-15, The Cardinal went on an 8-2 run to pull within two points of the Final Four at 28-17. Leading 29-19, Tom ended the match and gave her team the regional championship with another kill.
Stanford won the battle in virtually all statistical categories, out-hitting A&M .316 to .156 and out-blocking the Aggies 15 to six. The Cardinal out-dug Texas A&M 51 to 45 on the night.
The Aggies were led offensively by All-Region tournament team member Erin Lechler with 13 kills. Mount was the only other A&M player in double-figure kills with 12. Michelle Cole paced the defense with 15 digs. Jenna Moscovic, who had three digs on the night to reach 1,000 for her career, also earned All-Region Tournament honors for the Aggies.
Logan Tom, MVP of the All-Region Tournament team, had another outstanding match for Stanford, hitting .450 with a match-high 20 kills and a team-high 13 digs. Tom also threw in four blocks on the evening. Sara McGee posted a match high nine blocks.
