HOUSTON – There are friends, there is family and then there are friends that become family.
 
There could not be a more apt description than that for the relationship between Northwestern State libero Ashlyn Svoboda and outside hitter Teresa Garza. Their bond began on the beach volleyball sands in California four years ago and is strengthened every day after reuniting on the hard court in Natchitoches. 
 
Despite growing up just 10 miles apart in a pair of southeast Houston suburbs, Svoboda in Friendswood and Garza in Alvin, and only vaguely knowing of each other through the early club circuit, it wasn't until the beach nationals of 2019 that the duo even truly got to know each other.
 
Having both qualified for the tournament in California and each needing a partner, it was their respective skill sets playing volleyball that initially brought them together. Svoboda and Garza were both six-rotation players for their club and high school teams with Ashlyn's defensive abilities and Garza's presence at the net a perfect accompaniment to each of their offensive capabilities, making them a formidable pair. 
 
"Neither of us was there to mess around," Garza said. "It kind of seemed that way since we both went to California and had never practiced together or anything like that, but we had to step up to the plate then and there. Both of us did our jobs well and we had a good level of respect for each other after the handful of time we had played against each other before then."
 
Their talent, respect for each other and mutual appreciation of each other's work ethic carried the pair all the way to the semifinals in the tournament, but more importantly began a friendship that has become more valuable than any title.
 
"We could have easily left that trip and not said another word to each other," Garza said. "But we both like to have fun outside of volleyball and then as soon as we step on the court its business. We both see things that way so we both knew we could be friends after that trip."
 
Little did Garza know at the time following the summer 2019 trip, that a few months later her world would change and the person she bonded so quickly with through competition would eventually become a reminder of the things she loved most.
 
On October 14, 2019, Teresa's father, Ray, passed away.
 
While Ashlyn and Teresa's relationship was still in its early stages of growth at the time of his passing, it is clear to each of them, now four years later, that they were meant to share a bond.
 
"She got to meet my dad and they are very similar in a lot of ways," Garza said. "They both like to have a good time and are just good, down-to-Earth people. So having her here now is like having family. She knew my dad and knows he wanted the best for me in every aspect. Every day I play for him so having that support is awesome." 
 
Memories of that first summer as teammates in California are full of time spent with 'Uncle Tim,' a former teammate of Ray's during his time as a pitcher at Sam Houston, who showed them around the area and helped permanently link all of them together.
 
"I was always and will always be there if she needs me," Svoboda said. "I cannot imagine losing someone that close to you. We have a saying now in the house, 'That's Ray talking to us,' and we can laugh about things in memory of him."
 
Each time Garza steps onto the floor for NSU she does it with thoughts and memories of her father. Although not the first time the Demons have played in Houston this year, the trip back to her old stomping grounds to take on HCU on Saturday at 1 p.m., does take on a different dynamic.
 
Teresa's younger sister Ana is a freshman outside hitter in her first year on the Huskies' volleyball team. Both Teresa and Ana wear the number 17 as a tribute to Ray who wore 34 during his four-year playing career with the Bearkats.
 
The opportunity for Garza to share the floor with the sister she lived with in Houston and the sister she now lives with in Natchitoches, was one too good for her to pass up after entering the transfer portal following two years playing in Wyoming.
 
She even got a taste of what time in Natchitoches would look like when she joined Svoboda's team for the weekend in the annual DigFest after her senior season – a foreshadowing of what would come two years later.
 
"As soon as you go into the portal it can be overwhelming with emails and you're in finals week and trying to figure out what school and where you're going to be and all of that," Garza said. "I called Ashlyn and Amina (Attra) after I got an email from Coach Sean (Kiracofe) and just asked them how school was going and didn't really tell them I was in the portal right away just to get their honest opinion on the team atmosphere and the school. 
 
"One of the first things both of them said was they loved playing volleyball here and that's what I wanted to do, enjoy playing the sport and the people I was around. The biggest thing was that volleyball was fun. That was the main thing that they kept saying."
 
It's plain to see, even in a cursory look from the sidelines or the stands, how much fun the pair have playing together and spending most of their daily lives attached to each other, not at the hip, but at the heart.
 
"It's hard to put into words how amazing it's been since she got here," Svoboda said. "We're definitely not your average roommates that kind of do their own thing. We talk every single day, watch TV, cook. She makes me try vegetables. We mow the lawn together. We cry. We laugh. Everything is always together. I wouldn't want it any other way."
 
Their relationship was instrumental in Garza acclimating as quickly as she did to NSU's system and has already paid huge dividends on both the offensive and defensive ends. Svoboda leads the Demons in digs and digs per set with Garza second in both categories, first in kills and third in blocks.
 
The two have come full circle in their careers thus far after being paired as a beach duo with Svoboda's defensive prowess and Garza's offensive aptitude, taking their skills, work ethic and love for each other from the beach sands of California into Prather Coliseum.
 
"God truly answered a prayer of mine when she decided to join this program," Svoboda said. "I can't put into words how thankful I am for her and everything she brings to the table. Thank you for being my best friend. I love you forever, T."