BUCS COMEBACK FALLS SHORT ON DIG PINK NIGHT

Buccaneers fought back from 2-0 hole but lost in five sets

BRENHAM, Texas – Blinn College volleyball was able to dig itself out of an early 2-0 hole against San Jacinto College-Central to force a fifth set and even held a 12-11 lead in the deciding set but it was San Jacinto coming out on top to take the 3-2 victory Tuesday night inside the PE Building in Brenham.

“I am happy that we came back from such a deficit but we do need to cut down on our errors,” said Blinn head coach Kalie Mader. “I think we played with a little more composure and confidence in sets three and four than we did in the first two sets.”

San Jacinto won by the score 25-21, 25-18, 20-25, 19-25 and 15-13. The match was the Dig Pink match for Blinn as the Buccaneers honored Blinn College employee Jerri Maurer for her fight against cancer.

Both Blinn and San Jacinto entered the match with one loss in conference play but with the loss the Buccaneers fall into second play with a 7-2 mark and 22-9 overall record.

The Buccaneers had a difficult time gaining momentum in the first two sets. Blinn’s longest streak of points in the first set was three on two different occasions and San Jacinto took advantage by claiming the first set 25-21.

The second set got away from the Buccaneers as San Jacinto took a 2-0 lead in sets after claiming the second set 25-18.

With its back up against the wall, Blinn came out much stronger in the third set as a kill from Eboni Mitchell gave the Buccaneers a 7-2 lead. The lead evaporated later in the set but Blinn was able to recapture the momentum late as Darby Mussulman delivered a kill for a 23-18 lead and Haley Howard later closed out the set with an ace for a 25-20 victory for force a fourth set.

The fourth set was a lot more back and forth as San Jacinto held on to a 16-14 lead midway through. That is when the Buccaneers put together a 7-1 run capped by a kill from Howard for a 21-17 lead. Barbara Krug delivered the point that brought on the fifth with a block for a 25-19 fourth set victory.

Blinn handed out a few too many points to San Jacinto in the fifth set by way of mistakes but the Buccaneers were still able to cling to a 12-11 lead after four consecutive points. Unfortunately, it would be San Jacinto coming up with the clutch points down the stretch as the Ravens sealed the match with a 15-13 victory in the fifth.

Blinn will close out conference play at home Friday, Oct. 23 against Lee College at 6 p.m. for the Blinn College Alumni & Friends and Letterman Game.

For more information, visit www.buccaneersports.com.

(Story & photos courtesy, Jake Gordon, Blinn Information)