The ninth-ranked Blinn College volleyball team fell to No. 4 Navarro College in a Region XIV heartbreaker Tuesday in Corsicana, Texas.
The Buccaneers took a two-set advantage to open the match, but couldn’t close out the host Bulldogs, who rallied to win the next three sets for a 20-25, 23-25, 25-23, 29-27, 15-11 victory.
“They made plays, and we didn’t,” Blinn head coach Terry Gamble said.
The Bucs lost for the first time since Aug. 18, ending a winning streak that spanned 25 matches. Blinn is now 26-2 overall and 5-1 in the region standings.
NJCAA Division I kills leader and freshman right-side hitter Kellen Dorotik had 21 kills for the Bucs. Sophomore middle blocker Taylor Glendening posted 12 kills, and sophomore middle blocker Brooke Pattschull and sophomore outside hitter Jaedyn Newman tallied 10 apiece. Freshman setters Elizabeth Tyner and Chloe Howard dished out 34 and 23 set assists, respectively. Howard also had three service aces while Glendening chipped in a pair.
On defense, Freshman libero Cierra Pesak recorded a team-high 18 digs, followed by 15 for Dorotik and 13 apiece for Howard and freshman libero Kirby Kliafas. Pattschull had three solo blocks and two block assists defending the net. Glendening finished with five block assists.
Up next, the Buccaneers look to rebound when they host region adversary Panola College at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 21, at the Kruse Center in Brenham, Texas.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 44 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
