The 11th-ranked Blinn College volleyball team was swept by No. 7 Trinity Valley Community College in the semifinal round of the Region XIV Tournament on Saturday in Baytown, Texas.
The 25-21, 25-16, 25-13 setback eliminated the Buccaneers from the tournament and ended their chances for an automatic bid in the NJCAA Division I Volleyball Championship tournament.
In previous seasons, the region tournament was played in a double-elimination format with two automatic bids for the national tournament up for grabs. This season, however, the tournament shifted to single elimination with only the champion guaranteed a berth at nationals.
Blinn (34-5) will find out its postseason fate next week ahead of the national tournament, which is scheduled for Nov. 15-18 at the Hutchinson Sports Arena in Hutchinson, Kan.
Against Trinity Valley, the Bucs were led offensively by sophomore outside hitter Jaedyn Newman, who recorded 10 kills. Sophomore hitter/blocker Don’Yah Cosie added eight kills and freshman right-side hitter Kellen Dorotik finished with seven. Freshman setters Chloe Howard and Elizabeth Tyner dished out 14 assists apiece.
On defense, freshman libero Cierra Pesak had a team-best 10 digs, while sophomore libero Kaylen Kruse and freshman libero Kirby Kliafas each tallied nine. Sophomore middle blocker Taylor Glendening provided a solo block and three block assists defending the net.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 44 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
