Tuesday, November 15, 2022

NM State Aggies vs Tarleton State Texans Volleyball 11-10-22


Dad called me this morning (after ignoring my call last night) and mentioned that a player on the Volleyball team lived in his apartment complex.  He didn’t know her name or what she looked like, as it was a neighbor of his who knew her.  “She’s tall,” was the only description I got.  I asked for more information (dad lives just down the street from me) and, if possible, ask her what happened with Alana and why there wasn’t an Autograph Day this season.

 

Ron hadn’t called me in the afternoon about getting together for the game.  I finally called him and left a message.  I found myself suddenly nodding off a few minutes later, before he was there, knocking at my door.  His phone wasn’t working.  (My dad didn’t have that excuse for not calling me last night.)  We went for dinner at Raising Canes to cash in on last night’s Aggie Women’s Basketball win.  The cashier tried to sell us four meals, but we talked her down to two.  I actually finished my Combo Meal before Ron finished his for the first time ever.  I was hungry.

 

We got to the Pan-Am Center early as usual.  We got to watch Lia Mosher bound up the stairs from the court to see someone in the upper bowl.  I was impressed, as she did it quick and didn’t have any trouble negotiating the sometimes tricky stairs.  I noticed beautiful Megan Hart on the sidelines.  I had assumed our former star player and graduate assistant was on to bigger and better things.  She chatted with her former teammates on the staff, Tatyana Battle and Cat Kelly.    

 

On court, Bianca Perez’s thumb was still wrapped.  She wouldn’t be playing today or on Saturday.  Adam Young was on the other side of court getting ready to call the game.  He grabbed a loose ball and tossed it to Ashley Herman, as they shared a smile.  Oh, crap!  Ron and I both forgot that this match was on the radio today.  This was the last chance for the rest of the year (except for Men’s Basketball).  I feel like I should apologize to Adam.  I spent the rest of the match irritated with myself. 


Once again on opposing coach and staff watch, we offer Tarleton Assistant Coach, Hannah McManus.  Meanwhile, Barbara Hubbard graced us with her presence.  Every bit the Aggie, she was sitting on the opposing bench, chatting up their handsome male graduate assistant.  Obviously, she was charming him into giving up their game plan, which she then relayed to Coach Jordan.  The Texans team was loose and were dancing to the PA music.  The crowd was listed at 900.  It felt like a decent crowd, but there weren’t any girl teams visiting to liven up the cheering. 

     

Before the player introductions, PA Ed Carnathan asked for a Moment of Silence for Lily Ernst, swimmer student-athlete, friend of Rylee Fay on the Aggies.  There was also a mention of mental health help.  When I was on the team Twitter, there was a picture of the girl and a link to mental health help.  I looked up Lily.  She was a 4.0 student.  She’d set a school record in swimming.  She volunteered at the food bank and helped kids learn how to swim.  Her major was mental health counseling.  The cause of death was not revealed other than “died “suddenly” and “unexpectedly.”  Seems to be a lot of that going around lately.

 

Set 1

The Aggies stepped off to a bad start going 0-3.  Lia was stuffed on a swing.  Lia and Ryleigh Whitekettle teamed up on a block to break the run.  4-5 Tarleton, Jayde Shelton and Taylor Snow combined on a block.  Then there were two double touch calls in a row.  I was worried we’d gotten those officials again for the match.  We almost lost one of our precious remaining setters at 5-7, when Rilen Garcia dove into a net pole going for a ball. 

 

Katie painted the backline on a kill to bring it to 6-7.  Lia got two kills in a row to bring it to 8 all.  8-9 the Texans took the next point on a touch.  Coach Jordan challenged, which led to a very long review.  During the break, Ed mentioned Megan Hart and they showed her lovely self on the video screen.  She waved to me (and everyone else).  Eventually, the PA music turned to Elvis’ A Little Less Conversation.  The call was finally reversed, 9-5 Aggies.  I hate to call this the turning point in the match, but Tarleton didn’t really recover from it.

 

At 17-11 Aggies, I count four kills for Molly and pairing up with Taylor on block.  (And Mari Sharp mixed in a flying kill from the backcourt.)  Lia stayed in for a point when libero Darian Markham was out.  That left all “bigs” on the court.  That worked out okay for a point, but then a Texans’ mishit popped over the net and landed between three Aggies. 


19-14 this was an incredible rally.  Lia and Jayde combined on a block to end it.  Molly won 21-15 with a kill.  The Texans’ dig landed on top of the net and fell over.  23-15 Ryleigh got her first kill.  23-16 Darian made a pancake dig and Lia made two tips, but got called for a foul.  25-16 Ryleigh finished off the set with a convincing kill.  She has learned a lot this season.  She’s going to be great.

 

Set 2: Aggies 1, Texans 0

Morgan Stewart with the reserves posed for Flex Cam.  The Aggies came out dominate after switching sides.  Molly, Lia, and Ryleigh all scored kills and Rylee aced to make it 5-0.  Texans took a timeout.  Molly had a kill and combined with Taylor on a block, 8-2.  9-4 after a very long rally, Taylor finished it, skipping the ball off two defenders. 

 

11-4 Jayde got an overpass kill.  11-6 the Texans’ aced.  Molly nearly had a kick save on it.  12-7 Jayde hit one into the corner and made the line judge skip.  Coach Jordan challenged the call and it was reversed, 13-6.  The down official seemed confused on calling the change, but the up official called it correctly.  14-6 Molly aced.  She’s doing it all today! 

 

Tarleton came back with a three-point run.  Matti Theuer scored two aces in a row, but then faulted to make it 15-9.  17-9 Katie and Lia on the block.  17-10 the Texans took this point after a long rally.  It was the second long rally they won in this set.  They were playing hard.  22-15 Rilen got hit with a DT call.  The coach chewed her out when she cycled out.  Kaylee Peterson came in to serve.  Taylor and Jayde blocked out the last two points to take the set 25-16.

 

Set 3: Aggies 2, Texans 0

A senior lady tapped me on shoulder and asked if I worked for the paper.  I told her I wasn’t working for anybody.  She still appreciated my dedication.  I have this conversation every season in every sport.  I might have even talked to this lady before.  The big event tonight was a $2,500 giveaway for grad students.  They asked for all graduate students to stand in the crowd.  Molly momentarily stepped out of the team huddle to wave.

 

This set started tight.  Tarleton took a 4-7 lead, as the Aggies looked a tired.  Molly then won the next three points, two of them by service aces.  Jayde and Taylor then combined on a block and Tarleton took a timeout. 

 

9-8 Taylor got the kill off of a beauty feed by Rilen.  Rylee made two aces in a row, including one off the tape.  At 14-11, the Texans took their final timeout.  Back to play, Ryleigh got a kill swinging off her back foot and got an overpass kill on a tip.  Mari Sharp got into ace game with a pair on her serve. 

 

20-12 Molly put in another kill.  Darian had a great off-court save on the point.  Anji Vishwanathan and Kacia Brown subbed in.  Rilen stayed in to set.  Jayde, with the reserves, rested on Rylee’s shoulders as they watched play.  22-13 Molly got another kill.  Rilen was diving all over the court for digs.  22-17 after a four-point run, the Aggies took a timeout.  Rylee and Katie came back in at 22-18.  Kills by Molly and then Katie finished the set, 25-19, and the match, 3-0.

        

Happy Stat time. Molly Johnson had 16 kills and 3 aces.  Ryleigh Whitekettle had 9 kills. Rylee Fay had 28 assists and 3 aces.  Taylor Snow had 6 blocks.  Grayson Schirpik led the Texans with 10 kills.  The Aggies had an incredible 8 aces (Cane’s Challenge achieved) to only 1 service error.  (Ron and I had had enough Cane’s for the week though.) 

 

I wouldn’t call this “peaking at the right time.”  It’s more like, “finally getting their act together.”  Molly said in a postgame interview that the team had decided to “Play for each other.”  I guess that means, “Serve better.”  This the kind of play as a unit that I’d been waiting to see again since earlier this season.  If they can keep this up, they’ve got a chance in the tournament.      

 

Back at home, the match finished early enough that I was able to catch the last set of a Mountain West Volleyball match between UNM and Colorado State.  The Lobos handled them easily in three sets, however the Rams are a better team.  I think the commentator mentioned they were missing key player.  I liked the announcer.  He came up with some interesting descriptive terms: Dented (a hard hit), Pineapple (like a grenade, lobbed over the net), and Donut Hole (a ball falling in between players).  

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