Dustdevils Drop Tough Home Match

Box Score LAREDO, Texas - The TAMIU volleyball team’s two game winning streak was snapped by the University of Arkansas Fort Smith Thursday night, as the Dustdevils fell in four sets 22-25, 25-19, 28-26, and 25-18.

The loss drops the Dustdevils to 5-6 in the heartland conference, which puts them one spot out of fourth place in the battle for a spot in the conference tournament.

TAMIU fought hard and gave the conference leading Lions a run for their money, but 29 errors and a team hitting percentage of .174 would not get it done for the Dustdevils.

“We didn’t error ourselves out of this match,” stated Head Coach Marlon Sano. “We failed to execute in critical moments…and just let it slip when we had a chance to ice the set (third set).”

Sophomore Alex Ciszek notched her tenth double-double of the season as she racked up 19 kills and 13 digs. Senior Andrea Marshall added 15 kills and 19 digs as well.

The Dustdevils were not intimidated by the obvious physical stature and athleticism of top seeded UAFS, as they gave the Lions all they could handle in the first set. The Dustdevils held strong and found themselves in 18-18 tie, then made their move going on a 6-4 run and stealing the first set to the surprise of the Lions.

After dropping the second set, the Dustdevils and Lions went punch for punch in the crucial third set, with UAFS ultimately grabbing the win 28-26. The Lions would carry that momentum into the fourth set, ending the match with a 25-18 win.

TAMIU now looks to regroup after the hard fought loss and sets their sight on the Newman Jets in the Dustdevils final home game of the season. The match is scheduled for Saturday November 3 at 12 p.m. in Laredo.

Print Friendly Version