The Sooner volleyball team closes out the first half of conference play at 7 tonight at home when it hosts the Texas A&M Aggies (9-10, 3-6 Big 12).

The Sooners (14-6, 6-3) bounced back from a heart-breaking loss to rival Texas last week by putting up one of their best performances of the year against Kansas Saturday.

OU hit .390 in the match, a new program record, and freshman middle blocker Sallie McLaurin was dominant on her way to being named Big 12 Rookie of the Week for the second consecutive week. The Sooners look to be firing on all cylinders when it really counts.

The same cannot be said for the Aggies, however.

A&M is on a five-game losing streak following a loss at Iowa State Saturday. The Aggies began conference play above .500 this season and looked to be on the rise after upsetting nationally-ranked Texas in their opening conference match.

Thus far, that win has proven to be the lone highlight of the Aggies’ season. Since that match, the team has gone 2-6 and has been swept in two matches.

OU and Texas A&M are entering this match at opposite ends of the spectrum. OU is a team that is only a few sets away from being near the top of the conference standing. Currently, it is in third place and in contention for a conference title.

In contrast, the Aggies are sitting near the bottom of the conference standings with a 3-6 record.

The Sooners have all of the depth and talent necessary to win the match, especially with the continued improvement from the young players like McLaurin.

They will still have to be ready to play, though, as this match and every one following is crucial for the Sooners.