COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Texas A&M volleyball (10-4, 3-1 SEC) returns to Reed Arena this week, hosting the Georgia Bulldogs (4-10, 0-3 SEC) for a two-match series beginning on Thursday. Both matches are slated to begin at 7 p.m.
Thursday’s match is streamed on SEC Network+ with Chelsea Reber and Casey Richardson calling the action. Paul Sunderland and Missy Whittemore will call Friday evening’s event on SEC Network, with the live simulcast available to authenticated subscribers via the ESPN app.
THIS WEEK AT REED ARENA
Thursday will serve as the team’s annual Dig Pink match. In conjunction with October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Texas A&M volleyball is excited to team up with the Side-Out Foundation’s 2021-22 Dig Pink Movement to support the stage IV breast cancer community. Fans are encouraged to wear pink in support of the cause and to receive discounted admission to the match. For more information and the link to donate, please visit 12thMan.com/DigPink.
Friday’s match, presented by Aggieland Roofing, is highlighted by a Reedling Brothers match day hat and 12th Man Centennial mini statue giveaway for the first 500 fans. Additionally, fans with a ticket for Saturday’s football game against Alabama receive free admission to the volleyball match by showing their ticket at the door.
The last time out for the Aggies saw the team split a road series with then-No. 20 Tennessee, culminating in a five-set upset victory for the Maroon & White. The team fought off three Tennessee match points in the deciding set to secure the victory and proved to be the first top-25 win for the squad this season. Setter Camille Conner finished one kill shy of a triple-double, while Morgan Christon totaled a match-high 21 kills. A&M has dominated on the defensive back line this year, pacing the Southeastern Conference in digs per set (16.61) and amassing 847 team digs through this point in the season. The Aggies are second in kills per set (14.02) and third in assists per set (13.02) in the SEC as a group.
Georgia is looking for its first SEC win of the season, currently riding a five-match losing streak dating back to their last win over UCF on Sept. 11. As a team, the Bulldogs rank fifth in the SEC in service aces per set (1.34), while sitting in the top 10 in hitting percentage (.228), assists per set (11.61) and blocks per set (2.14). On the offensive side, Amber Stivrins and Kacie Evans each average over 3.00 kills per set, while the defensive back line features three players averaging more than 2.00 digs per frame.
This week’s back-to-back will serve as the 24th and 25th meetings between Texas A&M and Georgia in volleyball, with the Aggies maintaining a dominant 19-4 advantage. The Maroon & White have won 14 of the last 15 meetings dating back to the 1997 season and own an 8-1 lead in matches played in the Brazos Valley.
