No. 8 Texas takes out Texas A&M for first SEC volleyball victory

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas volleyball team scored its first Southeastern Conference victory Friday over rivals Texas A&M.

The No. 8 Longhorns topped the Aggies 3-1 at Reed Arena in College Station in front of a raucous crowd of 9,236. Set scores were 25-16, 14-25, 25-23, 25-20.

Texas A&M's Logan Lednicky had a match-high 17 kills in 49 attempts, but a trio of Longhorns each had 11 to help give them a 50-45 edge. Madisen Skinner, Reagan Rutherford and Devin Kahahawai led the way offensively for Texas with Kahahawai connecting on a service ace to win the match.

Mariann Singletary was strong at the net for Texas with a team-high four blocks and seven kills while Averi Carlson notched 24 assists. Jenna Wenaas had eight kills and 11 digs with Emma Halter leading defensively with 13 digs. Ella Swindle had 13 assists with seven digs.

Texas A&M had 12 service errors to Texas' nine and the Longhorns had six aces to the Aggies' four.

After the teams traded blowouts in the opening two sets, Texas gained control of the match after Skinner's kill broke a 22-22 tie in the third set. Singletary followed with a kill to give Texas three set points before the teams exchanged attacking errors to lift the Longhorns to the set win.

Ifenna Cos-Okpalla had nine kills and Maddie Waak had 40 assists for the Aggies.

Texas (6-3, 1-0 SEC) is on the road Sunday in Baton Rouge against Louisiana State. Texas A&M (9-2, 0-1) hosts Missouri on Sunday.