Not an Upset, Just an Answer: Texas A&M Matched Nebraska Blow-for-Blow

For the 34th time this season, the best volleyball team on the court won the match when it comes to Nebraska volleyball’s historic season.

Unfortunately for the Big Red, it was the first time this season, that team wasn’t them.

“They played like they had six seniors on the court,” Nebraska volleyball coach Dani Busboom Kelly said of Texas A&M following NU's five-set loss to the Aggies. “I’m proud of the way we fought back, and we played our hearts out and had a lot of things against us this week, and we still were that close. I’m just proud of the way we finished that match, and I’m super proud of our seniors.”

Emotions ran high for top-ranked Nebraska, who fell 15-13 in the pivotal 5th set against Texas A&M Sunday. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Not even a full 48 hours has passed since Nebraska’s heart-wrenching five-set loss to Texas A&M, and the wound feels just as fresh. The Aggies did something to Nebraska nobody thought possible this season – they outplayed them and outlasted them.

The Huskers hit .270 in a match, which came just short of Texas A&M’s .275 hitting percentage in the Aggie win. Those numbers are important for two reasons. TAMU’s .275 average is the highest Nebraska allowed all season long in 2025, and Sunday also marked the only time all season an opponent ended up with a better hitting percentage than the Huskers.

It literally had all the ingredients to an upset, that wasn’t necessarily an upset statistically.

“You can’t really try to bounce on them because they’re so physical, even if they make a late move, they’ll get us,” Busboom Kelly said of Texas A&M’s defense, and in particular, their block. “I thought we kind of started out the match trying to do that and out-physical them, and again – that’s not going to happen.”

Texas A&M's block caused Nebraska fits all match, leading to Nebraska hitting just .270 in the match. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

It didn’t happen. Swing after swing…after swing, Nebraska tried to do what it did to every opponent this season. Texas A&M was different – they were up to the task and they were getting a hand on nearly every swing Nebraska had.

NU’s inability to get past the TAMU block slowly wore on them, but sets three and a monumental set four still did eventually lean the Huskers’ way. Busboom Kelly said it ultimately showed the resolve of this team, even when faced with something they hadn’t experienced all season long.

“Those middles – they’re physical, and I just thought they did a great job,” Busboom Kelly said. “I thought we needed to be a little more patient on our attack and then that started to work. I thought as the game went on, we adjusted well and started swinging high. I think we got a little bit one-dimensional, but I think that was a little bit maybe passing.”

Texas A&M's Kyndal Stowers was one of many Aggies to find success against Nebraska from behind the service line. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

It can be argued that Texas A&M was so good on the block Sunday because of their service game. On multiple occasions, the Aggies got Nebraska out of system with a combination of good serving and poor Nebraska passing. For the first time, really all season, the Huskers looked rattled in serve-receive, and it took them a while to make the necessary adjustments.

“We worked all season on being first to five, first to 10, first to 15 and so on, and we weren’t able to do that with her serve,” Nebraska junior Harper Murray said in her postgame press conference when talking about TAMU’s Ifenna Cos-Okpalla. “I mean, credit to her. She’s a great serve. We really take pride in serve and pass, but I think it caught us up a few times.”

Cos-Okpalla accounted for two of nine aces in the match for the Aggies, but only had one service-error in 27 serves, showing an efficiency behind the service stripe that helped push A&M across the finish line.

Despite falling victim to a 10-0 run in the first set, Nebraska clawed its way back to force the pivotal fifth set, which Busboom Kelly says is a credit to her team’s resolve in the match.

Improved passing helped spur a Nebraska comeback, as the Huskers' point of attack reached new heights - literally. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

“I thought our passing totally snapped out of it, which was good and so that didn’t really affect the outcome of the game,” Busboom Kelly said. “They’re a great serving team and when you have a great server that goes on a run, that can be a difference maker.”

Ultimately, it was the difference in who punched their ticket to this year’s Final Four in Kansas City. For yet another year, the Huskers are on the outside looking in for another national championship, and the season-ending loss at home snapped quite a few streaks in the process.

It obviously snapped a 33-match winning streak for the Huskers, but it also ended a 29-match home winning streak in the NCAA tournament and a 63-match home winning streak in general. Sunday was Nebraska’s first loss in Lincoln since December 1, 2022 – it’s been a minute.

Texas A&M's surprising win in Lincoln snapped a lot of longstanding streaks for the Husker volleyball team. — Texas A&M's surprising win in Lincoln snapped a lot of longstanding streaks for the Husker volleyball team, effectively wiping the slate clean for the 2026 team. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

The heartbreaking loss wipes the slate clean for a Nebraska volleyball team that won’t need much to “rebuild” next season. A dominant senior class now gives way to what arguably will be the best senior class in college volleyball next season, as Murray is joined by AVCA Player of the Year finalist and NU setter Bergen Reilly, defensive specialist Laney Choboy and middle blocker Andi Jackson as the team’s senior core next season.

For yet another year, though, the Huskers will be remembering vividly the heartbreak that isn’t even a full two days old yet. It’s a sting that motivated outgoing senior Rebekah Allick all season in 2025, and her message to the 2026 team was pretty simple following the loss.

“Lead by example,” Allick said during the team’s postgame press conference. “Lexi Rodriguez, to me, was that person. I just felt like she maybe didn’t always have something to say, but she always made the play or maybe even it was like the random hand hold or the hug and that would probably be it for the rest of the day. I think just never allow them to feel like you have to bear it all. It’s not all on you and just go do your thing.”

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