The women’s volleyball team played against Kingsville University for a non-conference match on Thursday, Oct. 4, at home.
First serve was scheduled at 7 p.m. with the Kingsville Javalinas earning their first point in game one.
After the first point, the Javalinas took an early lead (5-10) with a strong performance by Sha Tramble, an outside hitter.
However, Coach Wendy McManus quickly called a time-out that led to the Lady Dustdevil’s quick comeback with a kill and block by Nicole Gipson.
Both teams were neck to neck as they kept exchanging possession. With the score tied at 27, Clovershea McGill, a sophomore for the Dustdevils, earned the team a point after a long rally in which she spiked, tipped, and then blocked a Javalina’s hit.
Then, teammate Brittany Smith got another block that gave the Dustdevils a 29-27 lead. The Javalinas tied the game at 29, but a strong performance by McGill gave the Dustdevils a win in game one (31-29).
Kingsville won the next three games 25-30, 25-30, 25-30. The Lady Dustdevils didn’t score more than 25 points a game.
According to McManus, the girls “feel that because they get a win in game one everything will come easier after that; they don’t fight to take the game from the other team, and instead think the win will just come to them.”
The Lady Dustdevils had a total of 55 kills, 15 blocks and 76 digs for the match. Ladys Montano and Gipson led in kills with 15 each. Madison Mojica led the team with 20 digs.
“Our team still needs improvement in many aspects of the game; but most importantly, we need a higher level of communication that will create trust amongst each other when we play,” Mojica said,
Though the Dustdevils won four out of their last seven matches, McManus still believes the team “needs to play together; it makes a world of a difference when we do.”
The Dustdevils now hold a 6-12 record overall and 4-3 in conference.