Last week wasn’t good for Aggie Sports. Aggie Volleyball had two losses to Missouri State. They went down 0-3 on Friday. Maggie Lightheart wasn’t playing. She might have been out sick, since she was back the next day. Tess Fuqua played out of her mind in the loss. She had 19 kills (in a three set loss, are you kidding me?) and 13 digs, which led both teams, and was hitting .444.
Saturday, the Aggies won the first two sets, but MO St. worked the reverse sweep by taking the next three, 2-3. The fifth set was even a blowout. Maggie was back with 12 kills and 19 digs. Tess had 18 kills. Jaelynn Kohli had 16 kills and Zoe Ziegler also played well this weekend. The official recap noted the Aggies’ extreme drop off in the team’s serving efficiency. They were playing in Springfield where my Aunt Judy lives. I told her that her team wasn’t very hospitable to my Aggie girls. She wasn’t the least bit sorry.
Aggie Soccer did get a 2-1 win over MTSU. Meredith Scott, our little ham, and Amaya Simoni-Walters both scored. Unfortunately, they followed that with a 0-2 loss to WKU. They now need a win at UTEP and some help to get into the conference tournament.
The crusher was Aggie Football’s mid-week loss to Liberty, 30-27. I was able to listen to that one. The Aggies were down 20-6 in first half, but came back to score 3 touchdowns and take the lead late in the fourth. However, Liberty came back with a long march for a touchdown and to take the lead. The Aggies still had a minute left and got into long field goal range to attempt to tie it. A last second miss ended the game. The Aggies led in all the offensive stats, but a kick return for a touchdown and two muffed punts was the difference in the score.
Their next game against Missouri State was another heartbreaker. The Aggies scored 10 in the fourth to tie it. MO St. had a chance to win it on a 50-yard field goal, but a miss sent it to overtime. The Bears scored a touchdown on their first possession. The Aggies lost it on an interception on their first play of overtime, 24-17 MO St. That was Logan Fife’s fourth interception of the game, which partly explains the loss, although the Aggies got three turnovers themselves (two interceptions and a fumble). There were also lots of penalties in this ugly game.
That’s plenty of Aggie Sports recapping. I had the new Turkey Ranch BLT at McAlisters for lunch. It was delicious, but super-filling. Tonight, Aggie Volleyball would be taking on the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders. They have a similar overall record, but are 2-6 in conference. Up front at the Pan-Am Center, they had the new Basketball posters out. I declined a giveaway flag, but in turn, gave back the temporary tattoos from the Baseball exhibition. The attendant there was thrilled with them.
I was again sitting with the Reese family. I asked what had happened to Maggie last weekend. It was worse than I thought. She has a heart condition that flared up on the trip. She stayed in Dallas with Coach Hertel and went to the hospital, before going up to Springfield the next day. I think this was a known condition. It hasn’t affected Maggie’s play, but it’s hard not to be concerned for our sweetheart. It’s a bit on the nose that she’s literally named “Lightheart,” but it’s a brave heart, too.
It was a low crowd out tonight (att. 512). The girls seemed a bit subdued. The ball girls were again from Aggie Soccer. Rachel Haan was with them. She looks big compared to the other soccer girls, but next to the volleyball girls, Rachel looks small. Cooper Reese from the Baseball team came in later and recognized her, though he didn’t know what team she played for. He noticed her thighs were solid muscle. Cooper was wearing an eye-catching Blue Wahoos minor league hat. He said he’d wanted to get one of every Major League team, but couldn’t get himself to buy a Dodger or a Giants’ hat.
Cooper’s lovely girlfriend, Sadie, was here. I was introduced to her and said, “Hi, Mia.” She’s a dead ringer for Mia Fox on the Volleyball team and I couldn’t understand why she wasn’t out on court. It might just be me that saw the resemblance. Nice job either way, Cooper. There was some conversation about the Baseball players having a dance and they have to bring dates. Some of the guys are having trouble with that. Cooper is just going to be rubbing it in on his teammates’ faces.
On that matter, Coach Chelsea and the trainer were both looking elegant. Chelsea was in attractive, but impractical-looking on a court, spiked heels. The pretty trainer was in more practical sneakers, though it looked like they had 2-inch high soles on them. Injured senior, Ashely Herman, was off the scooter and was upgraded to limping around in a boot. During the player intro’s, Mia accidently tossed her souvenir ball directly to the Coach. He rolled his eyes and tossed it into the crowd.
Set 1
The match started well with the Aggies going up 5-0 on 3 aces and a kill by Tess and a block by Maggie. MT took a timeout and sided out coming out of the break. Maggie rolled off 3 more kills, along with Sadie, errr, Mia slamming a kill and Zoe getting a block. The Aggies ran up a 14-7 lead.
On the next point, Maggie made a pancake save, but Jaelynn fired out. Not only is Jae’s right thumb taped up, her whole wrist is taped up tight. It’s amazing she could swing at all. After 3-point MT run, 14-10, the Aggies took a timeout. Maggie got a kill right down the middle out of the break. Her and Zoe teamed up on block next, but this was challenged by MT. The refs surprisingly ruled for a replay and the Aggies took it anyway.
Jae, Zoe, and Maggie all had blocks. Maggie made a hard smashing kill and the Aggies took the Turn, 20-10. Jae got on track by hitting the line for a kill. Claudia Rossi served up an ace. Finally, Maggie finished it with a kill, 25-14.
Set 2: Aggies 1, Blue Raiders 0
We’re looking good to this point, but for Set 2, MT ran up a 0-4 lead. When Jae had an out swing, the MT reserves shouted, “O-U-T! Out!” A service error ended the run. Zoe had a net violation next, but Maggie came back with a kill that was nearly 3-D coming at us, 2-5 MT.
Cooper was briefly watching the World Series Game 1 tonight on his phone, in spite of his dislike of the Dodgers. He was also eating a churro. I warned him that he’d end up wearing the sugar and cinnamon from it. Tess had 4 kills, along with Maggie having 2 kills and Kate Sinclair having a kill. Claudia put in another ace, but the Aggies were still trailing, 12-15 MT, into the Media timeout.
Maggie added another kill. 14-16 MT, she made an off-court save and got a block for the point. After Maggie put in a tip kill and got the score within 1, MT took a timeout. Kate Sinclair tied it at 16 on a block and the Aggies went up, 18-17, when the Blue Raiders were then called for being out-of-rotation.
MT took the next couple of points and the Aggies took a timeout. In the break, the videoboard showed a couple of guys hitting each other with pool noodles in the stands. Also, two of our Pistol Pete’s were here out of uniform. The third Pete was working the game. Kate was blocked out of break, 18-20 MT. Mia put in a very sneaky tip to get it to a 1-point lead again. Jacqueline Corcoran came in to serve for Mia, hit the tape, but the ball fell over. MT dug it out. Tess tried to dunk the overpass on the dig, but MT dug that out too, and got a kill on the point. At 19-22 MT, the Aggies took another timeout.
Tess came back with a kill, Zoe and Jae made a block, and Makayla Martinez aced to make it, 23-24 MT. The Blue Raiders called a timeout. Out of the break, Makayla aced again. “An ace from Mighty Mouse!” was the call from PA Ed. Jae tied it at 25 with a kill, but an MT tip would win the set for the Blue Raiders, 25-27. I couldn’t help but notice that Trey Reese sitting next to me was really on edge and getting irritable with the team. He’s usually much more mellow watching his daughter, Nellie Reese. I’m not sure why he was uptight for this match. His mood was matching the team’s.
Set 3: Aggies 1, Blue Raiders 1
Wave the Wonder Dog came in during the second set. They put him up on Dance Cam . . . or not. The camera was there for him, but the director never put him on screen. Maybe Wave is having a contract dispute with the university. Great! That’s all we need here at NMSU, our biggest Athletic star in a legal fight.
Gabrielle Clinkscale started off Set 3 with an ace for MT. We got a good view of the ball swerving as it came over the net. It was wicked. This was followed by a service error. 3-1 Aggies, Jae made a block that ended a long rally. At one point, the ball touched all three Aggies at the net and somehow made it back over. On next point, Mia was out-jousted at the net. Coach Jordan was yelling at her, “You lost to the setter!”
Maggie tied it at 4 with a touch kill. She added 3 more kills to make it 10-4 Aggies. One of those points was another long rally with MT making an off-court save. MT challenged the next point and got it reversed, but Mia got the point right back. Kate and Jae both tooled blocks, before Tess aced again to make it 15-9 going into the Media break. MT challenged the ace, but the call stood, and to add further insult, Tess aced again out of the break.
After Jae made a couple more kills, MT took a timeout. MT took the point at 18-10 Aggies, though Makayla made a tremendous off-court save on the point. Maggie got the Aggies to the Turn with a pair of kills. MT took the next two points and the Aggies took a timeout. Maggie and Mia added kills out of the break. MT got next two points on a setter dump shot and an attack error. Makayla and Nellie both made diving saves on the second point. An MT ace made it, 23-20 Aggies, and the Aggies took a timeout. Jae then had a kill to bring it to set point. MT took their final timeout, but out of the break, Maggie finished it with a flourish. She fired a kill that rebounded high into the stands, 25-20 Aggies.
Set 4: Aggies 2, Blue Raiders 1
Trey Cooper noticed one of the MT players on the display was showing “Michaela Dlouha?” On the program it reads, “Michaela Dlouha’.” The computer display didn’t know what to do with the accent mark.
MT took the first two points of the set. On the next point, Maggie made a diving one-handed dig and Jae finished it with a kill. Maggie had another kill, but the Aggies started falling behind. After an MT kill, one of their Reserves started doing “The Worm” on the sidelines. That wasn’t one for the highlight reel. Coach Jordan told the team to “Calm down,” and finally called a timeout at 2-6 MT. The camera showed the Women’s Basketball team in attendance. (I’ll have more to say about them on Sunday with their first game.)
2-7 MT, Nellie tried to push Jae out of the way for a set and missed the ball. I don’t know who was out-of-position, but the Coach took Nellie out and put Rilen Garcia in. Rilen immediately set Jae for a kill and Tess for two kills. At 7-8 MT, the Blue Raiders challenged a touch call and got it reversed to 6-9. Mia and Maggie came back with kills. 8-12 MT, the Blue Raiders fired a swing straight through Tess’ block. The ball was dug out behind her, though the Aggies did lose the point.
10-12 MT, Tess with a kill. On the next point, Rilen made a great set for Zoe for the kill. Tess tied it at 12 and MT took a timeout. The Blue Raiders retook the lead, but kills by Jae and Tess tied it at 14. Jae tied it at 15 with a block and the Aggies took the lead, 16-15, on a double touch call. A block error gave the Aggies a 17-16 lead.
MT challenged for a touch at 19-16. You know what they say, “You can’t take those challenges home with you.” The call was reversed, 18-17. The Blue Raiders were not happy with the officiating tonight. Mia had a kill and Maggie aced to get the Aggies to the Turn again. Timeout MT at 20-17 Aggies.
Tess made a kill at 22-18 Aggies. Kaylee Peterson came in to serve. With Rilen and Bella Castro in, the Aggies were going with their “little backrow ninjas.” Kaylee aced and Zoe made a block to get it to 23-18. After a service error and a couple of out swings, the Aggies took a timeout at 23-20. Tess was blocked out of the break, but Zoe got a kill to take it to match point. It was a rejection by Zoe that ended it. Aggies take Set 4, 24-21, and the match, 3-1.
Robin Reese figured that the Aggies needed to win four of their last eight games to make the tournament, so they’re off on the right foot. The team lead in hitting .228 to .165, 53 to 43 in kills, 12 to 5 blocks, and, get this, 13 to 5 in aces. Their serving may be back on track, as service errors were 6 to 8 in favor of the Aggies.
Raegan Durbin led the Blue Raiders with 13 kills and Logan Carr had 5 blocks. Maggie Lightheart was outstanding with 23 kills (hitting .429 and a career high), 12 digs, 3 blocks, and 2 aces. She is playing her heart out, literally. Tess Fuqua had 10 kills, 9 digs, and 6 aces (!). Jaelynn Kohli put in 9 kills and had 5 blocks. Zoe Ziegler was a tower with 8 blocks. Nellie Reese had 23 assists even with getting pulled in the fourth set. I do credit Rilen Garcia’s insertion with turning around the set.
Thank goodness this didn’t go the full five, because I needed to go to bathroom. I didn’t stick around after the match. Back at home, I was greeted by the Apartment Cat. (I don’t know who owns him.) I spent several minutes petting him, but he didn’t seem interested in hearing my recap of the match. We’ll see if the Aggies can finish this homestand with a win tomorrow.
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