After dropping the season opener to No. 7 Louisville, the No. 8-ranked Texas A&M Aggies will look to secure their first win of 2026 against the No. 11 SMU Mustangs at the AVCA First Serve in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Sunday afternoon.
Despite not having former NCAA Tournament MVP Kyndal Stowers on the court for Friday’s match against the Cardinals, the Aggies still pushed one of the nation’s top volleyball programs to their limits. Texas A&M went down 2-0 through the first two sets, but with their backs against the wall, Jamie Morrison’s squad bounced back to force a fourth frame.
Freshman libero Gabi Rodriguez performed outstandingly in her first appearance in the Maroon and White, recording two aces and securing 18 digs. Meanwhile, former All-American Marquette transfer Natalie Ring led the Aggies with 11 kills, followed by Boise State transfer Eliza Sharp with 10 kills.
According to Morrison, Stowers should return on Sunday against the Mustangs. She was dealing with some back tightness in warmups on Friday and did not play in the match against Louisville as a precautionary measure.
Follow along with live coverage of Texas A&M’s final contest at the AVCA First Serve against SMU on Sunday afternoon:
Set 2: Texas A&M 14 | SMU 18
SMU has extended its lead to four points in the second set. Texas A&M is being forced to battle from behind again in this frame.
Set 2: Texas A&M 12 | SMU 14
The Mustangs are on a 6-2 run. Favor Anyanwu has been a dominant and challenging force for Texas A&M to stop, with three kills and three blocks in the match.
Set 2: Texas A&M 9 | SMU 8
Ring has nine of Texas A&M’s 20 kills in the match so far. The Aggies hold a one-point lead in the second set.
Final Set 1: Texas A&M 25 | SMU 27 (1)
What a battle to start this match. The first frame needs extra points and the Mustangs prevail to take a 1-0 lead over the Aggies. Ring leads Texas A&M with six kills in the contest. Morris and Kaia Castle have done a tremendous job protecting the net with two blocks apiece.
Set 1: Texas A&M 21 | SMU 22
SMU is three points away from taking the first set, but the Aggies are beginning to battle back. Texas A&M is on a 3-0 scoring run. Ring is up to five kills in the match. Taryn Morris has recorded two blocks and two kills for the Maroon and White.
Set 1: Texas A&M 11 | SMU 15
The Mustangs are on a 3-0 scoring run and have taken a four-point lead in the first set. Davis has three kills and two digs in the match.
Set 1: Texas A&M 10 | SMU 12
SMU takes a two-point lead in the first set over Texas A&M. Gabi Placide and Suli Davis have two kills each.
Set 1: Texas A&M 6 | SMU 6
The Aggies and Mustangs are tied early in the first frame. Ring leads all players with two kills in the contest. Still no Stowers on the court in the first set.
What channel is the Texas A&M vs. SMU game on today? Time, TV schedule
No. 8 Texas A&M facing No. 11 SMU at the AVCA First Serve at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, will be broadcast on ESPN2.
Match prediction: Texas A&M 3 | SMU 1
Morrison will have his squad ready to bounce back from Friday night’s 3-1 loss to No. 7 Louisville. Stowers is eyeing a return for Sunday’s match against the Mustangs, which should provide a massive boost for the Aggies in Game 2 of their appearance at the 2026 AVCA First Serve. Both of these squads could meet again in the postseason, but I have the defending national champions securing their first win of the season.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M vs. SMU: AVCA First Serve live updates, score, highlights
Reporting by Dylan Flippo, Aggies Wire / Aggies Wire
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By Dylan Flippo, Aggies Wire | USA TODAY Network
