Women's Volleyball 9/8/2012 4:20:00 PM

Volleyball Loses Second Straight; Blanked by Dallas Baptist

Box Score LAREDO, TX – It’s not the start the Texas A&M International University volleyball team had envisioned.

Saturday afternoon the Dustdevils dropped their second straight Heartland Conference match, falling to Dallas Baptist in straight sets 26-24, 25-21, and 25-17.

“We just didn’t earn enough points when we had our opportunities,” said Head Coach Marlon Sano. “We have to figure out as a team how to stay aggressive and assertive, yet not error at those critical moments.”

TAMIU drops to 0-2 in conference play, with a three-game road trip upcoming with games versus McMurry, UT-Permian Basin, and St. Mary’s.

“We have to stay the course and not get caught up in 0-2,” said Coach Sano. “We started out with two of the toughest opponents we will face all season. Obviously we would’ve liked to at least come away from these first two games 1-1, but the good thing is that we have the chance to redeem ourselves when we see them again. I still think we are one of the top teams in the conference. We just have to clean a few things up and we’re right there.”

TAMIU finished with 41 kills in the match compared to DBU’s 39, but the Dustdevils struggled with consistency hitting only .157 as a team while DBU finished at .236. TAMIU was aced eight times in the match and was out-dug 42-50.

Andrea Marshall led the Dustdevils with 11 kills followed by Alex Ciszek and Miranda Pratt who each finished with eight apiece. Daria Winckler posted her fourth double-double of the season with a game-high 29 assists and 12 digs.

Although the score illustrates a lopsided affair, the Dustdevils went punch for punch with the Patriots in each set. Unfortunately the home team’s struggles seemed to come at the most critical moments, with Dallas Baptist there to capitalize each time.

In the opening set, Dallas Baptist shot out to a 17-11 lead before TAMIU rallied with a 10-4 run to tie the set at 21. With the game tied 24-24, the Patriots scored consecutive points by Tadam Mergener and Tyler Bradsher to give DBU the opening set 26-24.

The second set played out in similar fashion with Dallas Baptist jumping out to a 17-14 lead. The Dustdevils once gain fought their way back in, using a 6-3 run to tie the set at 20. TAMIU then proceeded to commit four errors in the final five points, handing the Patriots the second set 25-21.

In the final set TAMIU came out the aggressor, grabbing a 14-11 lead at the halfway point. The momentum was short-lived however as DBU finished the game on a tear, using a 14-3 run to win the set 25-17.

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