Scorpions Blank St. Thomas, Win 8th Straight
Posted October 15, 2007
The UTB/TSC Scorpions won their eighth straight volleyball match, defeating University of St. Thomas, 3-0, at the Manuel Garza B. Gymnasium Monday, October 15.

With the 30-15, 30-14, 30-22 victory, the Scorpions move to 22-5 for the season. It was the 14th time in the 22 wins that the Scorpions swept three games from an opponent.

UTB/TSC has already wrapped up the Red River Athletic Conference South Zone championship. The Scorpions, ranked #22 in the NAIA, will be the top seed when they enter the RRAC Tournament in Fort Worth in November.

St. Thomas, playing volleyball for the second year in its history, dropped to 7-12. The Celts are an NAIA team playing as an independent.

All 12 members of the Scorpion squad saw action. Talita Milasauskas led the Scorpions with 11 kills and six blocks, while Claudia Alarcon had 11 kills and eight digs. Katie Japp added 10 kills, and Daianarah Bracero had 31 assists.

Freshman Jenny Soto had her best serving match of the season, getting four aces to lead the Scorpions.

The win also sets the stage for the Scorpions for one of the biggest home matches of the season Saturday, when UTB/TSC closes out its home schedule. The Scorpions host nemesis Houston Baptist University at 11 a.m. and RRAC rival Southwestern Assemblies of God at 2 p.m.

Houston Baptist was a member of the NAIA in 2006 when the Huskies won the conference crown and handed the Scorpions their only conference loss of the season. HBU defeated UTB/TSC four times last season, including twice in the postseason.

The Huskies are now members of the NCAA Division I and have beaten the Scorpions once this season in Houston for their fifth straight victory over UTB/TSC.

"It's a big game Saturday, especially for the girls who were on the team last year when they beat us four times," Young said. "But in all five times they have beaten us, they have never played us in our home floor.

"This is a great chance for our fans to be really loud in our small gym, because we could use their support. Houston Baptist is a great team and it should be a great match."