COLLEGE STATION, Texas – A career offensive performance from Morgan Kull fell short as the Auburn volleyball team (6-18, 0-13 SEC) fell to Texas A&M, 3-0 (25-17, 25-20, 25-22), Wednesday night at Reed Arena.
Kull recorded a career-high six kills to go along with her team-leading 18 assists. Freshman Lily Thomason led Auburn with eight kills, recording a team-high .381 hitting percentage. Senior Shaina White and sophomore Tatum Shipes each chipped in six kills.
Defensively, sophomore Bella Rosenthall paced the way with nine digs. Auburn closed the match with 7.0 total team block with Shipes leading the way with five. Sophomore Katie Persons matched her career-high with two service aces in the contest.
Texas A&M (18-6, 10-4 SEC) was led by Hollann Hans, who closed the night with a match-high 14 kills. Hans ended the night with 11 digs to lead the Aggies and pick up a double-double. Camille Conner recorded 26 assists.
Auburn begins a three-game home swing on Sunday, welcoming LSU to Auburn Arena at 1:30 p.m. CT.
SET ONE
Texas A&M opened the match with a 6-1 run, but three early kills from Kull kept the Tigers within striking distance in the early stages of the first set. Auburn pulled within one with help of the Kull service ace, but the Aggies used a 4-0 run to extend their lead with a 15-12 advantage at the media break. Texas A&M broke away after the break and forced two quick Tiger timeouts, but a late 4-0 run by Auburn quieted the Aggies. Texas A&M would answer with a final run of its own to win the opening set by a 25-17 final.
SET TWO
Set two was tight knit from the start, featuring four ties before the media timeout. With the set locked at 12-12, Auburn used a 3-0 run to break away and held a 15-13 edge at the break. The Aggies answered with a 4-0 run to regain the lead and force a Tiger timeout. Texas A&M would not relinquish the lead, taking the set 25-20.
SET THREE
The Aggies jumped out to an early lead, but an aggressive Auburn attack stormed back with a 5-0 run capped off with a Persons' service ace to give the Tigers a 13-12 lead and force an Aggie timeout. It was a back-and forth affair following the timeout, but a 3-0 Aggie run put Texas A&M back in front, 17-16. The set came down to the wire with Auburn tying the match at 21-all after a huge kill from Shipes, but the Aggies held on for the 25-22 win.