VOLUME 8, NO. 11, Page 7
Monday - November 11, 2002
EDITOR & WRITER - Billy Liucci
Copyright 2002, ASI, Inc., All rights reserved.

TEXAS A&M FALL SPORTS UPDATE

AGGIE SOCCER TO HOST REGIONAL
The No. 4 A&M women's soccer team will host Northwestern State in the first round of the NCAA Championship Tournament on Friday at the Aggie Soccer Complex.

The Ags (17-4-1), the Big 12 Regular-Season Champions and an at-large qualifier, will be one of 16 hosts for the first two rounds of the tournament. Northwestern State (12-5-5) enters the tournament as the representative of the Southland Conference.

No. 8 Texas (15-4-1), also an at-large qualifier, will play Western Athletic Conference Champion SMU (12-5-4) in the other first-round game at 5 p.m.

The winners will advance to play in Sunday's second-round game at 1:30 p.m.

After winning the Big-12 regular-season title, the Ags went 2-1 in the conference tournament, losing the championship game to arch-rival Nebraska.

Despite outshooting the Huskers, 19-10, on Sunday, No. 3 A&M could not muster a goal and suffered a 1-0 loss in front 2,638 fans at the Blossom Soccer Complex.

The loss snapped the Aggies' (17-4-1) 16-game unbeaten streak was while Nebraska, the tournament's third seed, improved to 14-5-3. It was the fifth Big 12 Tournament Championship for the Huskers. A&M and NU remain as the only two teams to win a Big 12 soccer tournament.

"Nebraska did the things they needed to do to win today," commented A&M head coach G. Guerrieri. "They did a great job of not giving us a good look at the goal after they scored their goal."

Nebraska scored the only goal of the game just 7:08 into the first half. After a foul at the top of the 18-yard box, Jenna Cooper's free kick caromed off the A&M wall. Cooper gathered the ball and beat A&M goalkeeper Kati Jo Spisak (Manchester, Mo.) low and to the right.

The Aggies had two excellent chances to tie the match in the first half. Linsey Woodard (Midland, Texas) dribbled through the Nebraska defense and hit a left-footed shot that hit the far post and Andrea Starns (Arlington, Texas) rocketed a shot that banged off the crossbar.

Defender Jessica Martin, Midfielders Carrie Berend and Kristen Strutz and forward Heather Ragsdale were named to the all-tournament team.

In Friday's 3-1 second-round win over Colorado, Heather Ragsdale and Kristen Strutz each scored a goal and had an assist. Five different A&M players scored on Thursday, as the No. 3 Aggies cruised to a 5-0 win over Oklahoma State in the quarterfinals.

AGGIE VOLLEYBALL BUILDING MOMENTUM
Laura Jones posted 22 kills and Carol Price added 16 as Texas A&M defeated No. 20 Missouri, 30-24, 30-19, 28-30, 30-25, in front of 1,282 fans at G. Rollie White Coliseum. It marked the Aggies' first victory against a Top 25 opponent this season, while the Tigers remained winless in seven trips to the Holler House.

"It's starting to all come together," A&M coach Laurie Corbelli said. "The team sees it, and we just keep getting better. We knew if we kept working at it, we could pull it (the victory) out."

The Aggies (17-7, 9-6 Big 12), who extended their Big 12 winning streak to a season-high four matches, outhit Missouri, .325 to .222 for the match, posting their second highest hitting percentage in Big 12 play this season.

Lexi Beers, who posted a team four-game season-high 61 assists, directed a consistent and balanced attack as the Aggies hit above .340 in three of four games. In addition, her 21 digs led an Aggie defense that outdug Missouri, 75-68. Munsch contributed 16 digs, and Jones also reached double figures with 13. Price tied her career high with seven blocks to lead A&M to a 12-7 blocking advantage.

Missouri fall to 20-6 overall and 9-5 in the Big 12. The Ags return to action Wednesday, Nov. 13 when they face Kansas (17-6, 8-6 Big 12).