No. 9 Aggies Down No. 2 Longhorns for Highest-Ranked Home Win, 3-2

Friday, October 31

Bryan-College Station

6:30 PM

Texas A&M

18-3,10-1SEC

Texas

18-1,10-1SEC

Texas

Texas A&M

Oct 31, 2025 | Volleyball

Box Score

By: Sam Thornton, Athletics Communications

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION – The No. 9 Texas A&M volleyball team downed No. 2 Texas in a five-set thriller in the Cotton Holdings Lone Star Showdown for the highest-ranked home win in program history Friday evening at Reed Arena, 3-2 (25-19, 25-23, 17-25, 19-25, 15-13).

The Aggies (18-3, 10-1 SEC) handed the Longhorns (18-1, 10-1 SEC) their first loss on the season, outlasting the visitors in an instant classic in Aggieland where the 12thMan stood a program record 9,801 strong. Texas A&M grabbed the opening two sets, before Texas struck two back. In a winner-take-all decider, Ifenna Cos-Okpalla and Kyndal Stowers pushed the Aggies over the edge to secure their highest ranked home win the team history.

The top-10 showdown opened with back-and-forth scoring, as the teams were knotted on every occasion to 8-8. The Maroon & White were the ones to break the deadlock, ripping off a 7-2 run to lead by five at the media timeout (15-10). Texas chipped into the deficit, as head coach Jamie Morrison gathered his squad (17-16). Texas A&M answered the call with a 3-0 streak, forcing the Longhorns to burn a timeout of their own (20-16). The train kept rolling, as the Aggies took the lead in the match, closing out the opener, 25-19.

Texas came out fast in second, prompting a timeout from coach Morrison (6-2), however in similar fashion to the first the Maroon & White responded with a 7-2 strike as the Longhorns returned the favor and huddled up (9-8). The contest remained neck and neck, as the programs were tied at the midway point (16-16). Texas went on a run late (22-18), but here came Ol' Sarge's Charges answering the call scoring five straight behind Megan Fitch at the service line (23-22). The Aggies left nothing to chance, claiming the set (25-23) and doubling the lead in the match, 2-0.

The Longhorns opened up an early advantage in the third as they hit double digits (10-4). Texas A&M battled throughout the set, but Texas held the six-point gap and took the third (25-17) as the Aggies led by one in the match, 2-1.

Nothing separated the teams out of the gate in set four, as they found level at double digits (10-10). The Longhorns forged a lead late in the frame, as coach Morrison called a timeout (19-14). The Longhorns extended the gap, and despite a late push from the Maroon & White, Texas took the set (25-19) and knotted the match, 2-2.

The teams traded points to open the deciding frame with the Longhorns taking a one-point advantage into the break, 8-7. Following the court flip, the Aggies flipped the momentum firmly to their side scoring three-straight points as Texas called timeout (10-8). The Longhorns battled back, tying the teams at 12 late, but Morrison's squad powered through courtesy of a kill from Cos-Okpalla, an ace from Stowers and a 15^th and final career-high kill from Cos-Okpalla to take the deciding set (15-13) and match, 3-2.

STAT LEADERS
Kills – Kyndal Stowers – 22
Hitting Percentage (Min. 10 kills) – Ifenna Cos-Okpalla – .609
Assists – Maddie Waak – 46
Aces – Tatum Thomas, Logan Lednicky, Maddie Waak, Kyndal Stowers – 1
Digs – Logan Lednicky – 17
Blocks – Ifenna Cos-Okpalla – 9

GAME NOTES

Cos-Okpalla had a career high in both kills (15) and points (19.5).
Stowers hit a season-high 22 kills.
Lednicky extended her double-digit kill streak to 11.

COACH'S QUOTES
Head coach Jamie Morrison on the 12^thMan…
"I congratulated our team and then I gave the crowd a round of applause. I'm going to keep saying it, the numbers are amazing but it's just the amount of passion they have behind what they're doing. As the numbers builds the enthusiasm builds. You feel them more and more, they are more a part of the match and they help us win."

PLAYER'S QUOTES
Senior middle blocker Ifenna Cos-Okpalla on the 12^thMan…
"It felt electric thanks to the 12thMan. I can't thank them enough for showing up and showing out for us because there's no way we would have won that without them."

Redshirt-sophomore outside hitter on the 12^thMan…
"The 12thMan's energy is absolutely insane. They [Texas] would go back to serve, and I couldn't even hear Addi [Applegate] talking to me two feet away from me. Our team energy was also going crazy, getting hype for each point. It was crazy when that last ball dropped. Definitely surreal across the board."

UP NEXT
The Maroon & White head to Knoxville Sunday to face the Lady Vols with first serve set for 2 p.m.

FOLLOW THE AGGIES
Visit 12thMan.com for more information on Texas A&M volleyball. Fans can keep up to date with the A&M volleyball team on Facebook, Instagram and on Twitter by following @AggieVolleyball.