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LUBBOCK, Texas – It took nine tries for the Dustdevils to earn their first win, but it was the team’s final match in their season-opening nine-game road trip gave way.
Texas A&M International (1-8, 0-2 Heartland Conference) laid a clean sweep on Texas A&M-Kingsville on Saturday at the Heartland/Lone Star Conferences Crossover tournament, hosted by Lubbock Christian. The Dustdevils won 3-0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-16) to send the Javelinas to 4-5. In their earlier match, the Dustdevils fell to Midwestern State 3-0 (26-24, 25-22, 25-16).
TAMIU will next play on Sept. 19 in its home opener against Heartland foe St. Edward’s at 7 p.m.
TAMIU 3, TAMUK 0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-16)
The team’s initial victory presented several season firsts for Dustdevils second-year coach Marlon Sano’s squad. It was the first time the team earned victories in games 2 or 3; TAMIU boasts a game 1 record of 5-4, but is now only 2-20 in all other games. It was also the first time in 2013 that the Dustdevils registered a team hitting percentage higher than .240 – they posted a .247 in the victory.
That was only the third match all year that saw a hitting percentage above the .200 mark.
Raising that percentage was the junior Alex Ciszek, who’s campaign had been previously stained with a striking slump. The California native’s season-high .478 hitting percentage and season high-tying 12 kills broke her streak of nine consecutive matches with pecentages under .300. She was responsible for 13 of the Dustdevils’ 49 total points in the match and also contributed one service ace and two digs.
Sophomore Toriana Goods produced 10 kills, 10 points and four digs while Lizzie Prieto (6 kills, 8 points, 5 digs) threw up a team-leading 27 assists and team captain Miranda Pratt (5 kills, 1 ace, 7.5 points) stuffed a team-high three blocks to tie with Samantha Gonzalez.
Desiree Ortiz led the Dustdevils with 11 digs to help quiet the Javelinas to a slender .157 hitting percentage.
MSU 3, TAMIU 0 (26-24, 25-22, 25-16)
The first match for the Dustdevils on Saturday saw their offensive woes continue, being outscored 61-40 by the Mustangs (6-1) and only boasting a .144 hitting percentage.
Ciszek again led TAMIU with nine kills and one of the team’s two total service aces. She also totaled out with a team-high 10 points and a team second-best .231 hitting percentage with three digs.points – Pratt slammed home 8.5 and Goods dealt down nine. Desiree Ortiz dug out a team-leading 13 balls on defense and Prieto continued leading the Dustdevils in assists, with 28 of the team’s 31 total assists.
