Texas A&M International University

TAMIU Sports Roundup September 2004

The TAMIU men's soccer team pulled off a landmark feat in Monday's season-opening 3-2 victory over St. Mary's, a NCAA Division II perennial power. The win was the first over the Rattlers in four tries for the third-year Dustdevils. The teams played twice in TAMIU's inaugural season of 2002 and once last season. St. Mary's won those previous meetings by a combined score of 13-1. The Dustdevils now have a 2-5 all-time record against Division II opponents. The previous Division II win was a 6-3 decision over Dallas Baptist in 2002.

Volleyball Notes

Senior Jessica Vargas and junior Katherine Taju earned All-Tournament honors at the Husky Invitational last weekend after leading the Dustdevils to a 2-2 record against a field that included three NAIA top-25 teams. TAMIU's wins in the tournament were against Montana Tech, which received votes in the preseason poll, and 24th ranked Spring Hill (Ala.) ... The Dustdevils return to action this weekend at the Texas A&M-Kingsville Labor Day Tournament.

TAMIU will play NCAA Division III powerhouse Trinity on Friday before facing Kingsville and UT-Dallas on Saturday. Trinity, which finished with a 33-5 record last season, is ranked ninth in the 2004 AVCA Division III preseason poll.

Women's Soccer Notes

The Dustdevils will try to rebound from Monday's season-opening 5-0 loss to St. Mary's with a road game at Monterrey Tech on Saturday and a home game against Texas Lutheran on Monday ... TAMIU and Texas Lutheran, a NCAA Division III member of the American Southwest Conference, played twice last season. The two teams tied 1-1 in Seguin before TLU defeated TAMIU 2-1 late

in the season in Laredo. The all-time series with TLU stands even at 1-1-1 ... TAMIU went 6-0-1 last season against NCAA Division III competition.

Cross Country Notes

TAMIU's men's and women's cross country teams will kickoff the 2004 season by competing in the Trinity Invitational on Saturday. The men will run five miles and the women three miles on the Olmos Basin Park course.

Men's Soccer Notes

TAMIU returns to action next Monday against NCAA Division III Texas Lutheran after the season-opening upset over St. Mary's. TLU dealt TAMIU a 4-0 defeat last season in Laredo. That game was the regular season finale for the Dustdevils. TAMIU has a 8-4-1 all-time record against NCAA Division III competition ... Senior Jesús Sánchez recorded two assists in Monday's upset of St. Mary's, picking up where he left off last season. Sánchez was selected as Red River Athletic Conference MVP and NAIA honorable mention All-American in his first season with the Dustdevils last season after finishing second on the squad in goals (18), assists (8) and total points (44).