The inability to finish strong has the Texas A&M volleyball team running out of time.
The eighth-ranked Iowa State Cyclones and the Aggies were tied at either 20 or 21 in all three games Wednesday night at Reed Arena, and each time ISU walked away with the victory for a 25-22, 25-22, 31-29 sweep.
"We waited until the third set, 20-all, to get the fire and belief that we needed to start the match," A&M head volleyball coach Laurie Corbelli said. "It's not about the volleyball at all, and that's the hardest part for all of us. It's about where our minds are, what we're scared of, what we are thinking about, what we are focused on, what we're not focused on, and I've just found it very challenging to get my team all on the same page the same night."
ISU (21-4, 13-3 Big 12) fought off five game points in Game 3 to hand A&M its third straight loss and fourth straight at home.
The Aggies (14-9, 7-8) also dropped below .500 in Big 12 conference play for the first time this season.
With only five matches left in the regular season, Corbelli and her players know time is running out on their chances of returning to the NCAA Tournament.
"Absolutely, we have to get one of the next two, if not both, and we definitely have to win our final three to be considered," Corbelli said. "And the team knows it. That's what they think, too. I don't know if that's getting in the way. There is something standing in the way of my team's optimum performance. I don't know for sure, but I would not doubt that they are playing not to lose a lot."
The Aggies appeared to have solved their late-game woes in Game 3 after winning a point that included Kelsey Black sending the ball back over the net while on her knees. But A&M couldn't convert a 24-22 lead into a win when it struggled to handle ISU's serve and allowed kills by ISU setter Kaylee Manns and Victoria Henson.
Each team had opportunities from there, but the Cylcones didn't let their second chance get away. On the final point, Big 12 dig leader Ashley Mass had her game-high 20th dig, and Henson put down her team-high 15th kill.
A&M had 25 hitting errors and hit only .157 for the match, while ISU had 14 errors and hit .253.
The Cyclones trailed most of Game 1 but won six of the last eight points to close it out. And that was a good omen for ISU, which is 18-0 after changing sides up 1-0.
ISU led all of Game 2 except for six ties, the final at 22, before the Cyclones ran off three straight points.
ISU's defense continued to fluster the Aggies at the start of Game 3, and though A&M had more digs, ISU was passing better and getting better swings off of its digs.
"They are one of the best defensive teams in the nation," Corbelli said. "They find the right place to be in all the time."
ISU was averaging just under two blocks a game entering the match, but the Cyclones outblocked the Aggies 11 to 6.
"This one really hurts," Corbelli said. "I can't explain the slow starts, the hesitations. We gave them six of their first eight points with hitting errors and then we can't get over the hump."
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