Texas A&M fans set new attendance record but they watched No. 8 Texas volleyball restart the rivalry with SEC victory

Texas A&M fans couldn’t wait to restart the rivalry with Texas now that both schools are in the SEC. On Friday night, a state-record 9,236 fans packed Reed Arena to watch the Aggies and Longhorns battle on the volleyball court.

Safe to say the rivalry is alive and well and full throttle again.

The eighth-ranked Longhorns captured a four-set victory, winning 25-16, 14-25, 25-23, 25-20. But more than anything else, it was a huge reminder that this rivalry between the state’s two flagship schools still matters. It has always mattered. It has always meant more.

Now that the Horns and Aggies are back in the same conference, it’ll matter in every sport throughout the athletic year. It was just the first of many SEC battles for years to come.

“I don't think the crowd really impacts us that much,” Texas outside hitter Devin Kahahawai said, according to the Austin American-Statesman. She had 11 kills, three blocks, five digs and took over in the pivotal fourth set. “I think our team honestly feeds off of the fire, and so, if anything, it elevated our play.”

A&M opposite hitter Logan Lednicky told KBTX-TV, “It definitely makes you proud to rep Texas A&M on your chest.”

Reagan Rutherford and Madisen Skinner also had 11 kills each for UT while Jenna Wenaas added eight more. Averi Carlson had a team-high 24 assists.

The game featured all the trappings of the old Texas-A&M matchups.

“Beat the hell outta t.u.!,” screamed the Aggies faithful. “Whoop!”

During the Aggie War Hymn, A&M fans swayed and “sawed Varsity’s horns off” like it was old times.

But when it was all over, Texas improved its all-time record in the volleyball series to 77-23. The Horns are now 26-13 in College Station. In the locker room, the players got to be the first to hold the new Cotton Holdings Lone Star Showdown trophy.

“We're used to playing in front of big crowds, and you need to learn how to play in these environments and be able to find ways to win,” Texas coach Jerritt Elliott told the American-Statesman.

“It seems like we're setting records everywhere we go, so it says a lot about our program and the players that we have and people wanting to watch us,” Elliott added. “And also, it says a lot about our fan base that's coming out and supporting us, so we appreciate that.”

Perhaps now that A&M holds the in-state attendance record, that will motivate Elliott and the Longhorns to hold a marquee matchup inside Moody Center. One high-stakes game away from Gregory Gym be quite a spectacle.

The back-to-back national champions will stay on the road for now, though. Texas will play at LSU at 2 p.m. Sunday.