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LAREDO, Texas – Pink was the color of competition between Dallas Baptist’s Patriots and Texas A&M International’s Dustdevils on Thursday at the TAMIU Kinesiology and Convocation Building. The match served as the Dustdevils’ Dig Pink tip off, in honor of breast cancer awareness month.
The closely contested match featured 28 score-tying plays and 10 total lead changes en route to a 3-0 (27-25, 25-23, 25-22) sweep by the Patriots (7-10, 5-3 Heartland Conference). The Dustdevils (2-14, 1-7 Heartland) never lost by more than three points and never trailed the Patriots by more than a 5-point margin.
The Dustdevils attack was led by the three-legged threat of Alex Ciszek, Toriana Goods and Paige Criss – who combined for 46 of TAMIU’s 55 total points. Ciszek killed 16 plays, recorded one service ace and one block. Goods racked up 14 kills and two blocks; and Criss was all over the floor with eight kills, four aces and three blocks.
Those three scoring stalwarts picked up while the team was without its captain, senior leader and offensive motor Miranda Pratt – who suffered an injury prior to the match.
Samantha Gonzalez and Rosebud Guthrie each contributed identical statistics, with three kills and a block apiece. They each dialed in 3.5 points as well.
Lizzie Prieto again paced the team in assists, with 39 of the team’s 44 total helpers. She had two kills and nine digs to complement her continuously selfless play.
Defensively, Desiree Ortiz dug out 30 of the Dustdevils’ 69 total digs. Goods threw in 13 and Koral Wright shoveled eight digs.
The Dustdevils came within a point of winning the first set on two different occasions, but saw the lead slip away both times. The second and third games ping ponged back and forth, with six of the match’s 10 lead changes falling in their frames.
The Dustdevils will continue their play in pink throughout October with home games against Arkansas-Fort Smith (Oct. 12, noon), Lubbock Christian (Oct. 17, 7 p.m.) and the University of Texas of the Permian Basin (Oct. 19, noon). Fans that wear pink or contribute a monetary donation will be eligible for prizes and promotions from the concession stand during those matches.
All donations will be presented to Mercy Ministries of Laredo’s Cancer Center during the Oct. 19 match.
