When Terry Gamble looks back at the 2024 Kruse Kickoff Classic, he won’t remember a 3-2 record for the Blinn College volleyball team.
Instead, he will recall five opportunities his team had to get better.
The 15th-ranked Buccaneers concluded the three-day, five-game Classic at the Kruse Center in Brenham, Texas, on Saturday with a split against two more of NJCAA Division I’s top teams outlasting 14th-ranked Daytona State College in four sets before falling to No. 2 Miami Dade College in a fiercely contested four-set thriller.
“I thought it was a great tournament with great teams in it, and I think the fans got a chance to see some of the best volleyball teams in the country – including us,” Gamble said. “If we can keep learning and keep playing as hard as we did this weekend, we have a chance to be pretty good.”
Blinn earned a 25-23, 25-11, 25-27, 25-20 victory over Dayton State in its first match Saturday before enduring a 25-13, 27-29, 15-25, 17-25 setback to Miami Dade.
(Pictured: Blinn sophomore Kellen Dorotik spikes the ball over the net during a game against Miami Dade College on Aug. 31, 2024)
In total, the Bucs (6-2) picked up two wins against teams ranked in the top 15 during the tournament. Blinn defeated No. 8 Odessa College in five sets Friday following a triumph over North Central Texas College on Thursday.
On the final day of the Classic, the Bucs got off to a winning start with the help of some impressive offense against Daytona State.
Sophomore outside hitter Kellen Dorotik continued her strong start to the season with a team-high 24 kills, while freshmen hitters MaKenna Loo (18) and Greta Rakow (11) also played a big role in Blinn’s attack. Rakow also had a pair of service aces.
Freshmen setters Bromli Watson and Leah Hoss played well in the middle of the Buccaneer offense as they dished out 33 and 14 set assists.
From the floor, Loo had a team-high 19 digs, freshman libero Sophie Ilagan added 18, and sophomore libero Kirby Kliafas chipped in 10. Blinn’s net defense included solo blocks for Dorotik and Watson, as well as a trio of block assists for Dorotik and a pair for freshman middle blocker Jana Cetkovic.
(Pictured: Blinn sophomore receives a serve during a game against Miami Dade College on Aug. 31, 2024)
Against Miami Dade, Dorotik once again spearheaded the Blinn offense as she racked up 17 kills. Loo followed with nine. Watson and Hoss finished with 17 and 15 set assists, respectively. Hoss also had a pair of aces.
On defense, Loo posted 13 digs, Watson had 10, and the Bucs played a strong game at the net with 20 total block assists. Cetkovic totaled seven of those assists.
Next up for Blinn is the start of Region XIV play. The Bucs will host Wharton County Junior College in a region tilt at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 3, inside the Kruse Center.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 49 national championships since 1987
