BLINN VOLLEYBALL SWEEPS NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI 3-0
The ninth-ranked Blinn College volleyball team isn't thinking about its current winning streak.
That doesn't mean the Buccaneers aren't having fun adding to it.
Blinn welcomed Northwest Mississippi Community College to the Kruse Center on Thursday in Brenham, Texas, and swiftly dispatched the Rangers 25-11, 25-12, 25-15 for its 21st consecutive victory.
The Buccaneers improved to 22-1 overall.
"We're excited about winning all of these games, but it's also about focusing on who is in front of you on the other side of the net," setter Chloe Howard said. "Right now, we're having fun, but this streak is all about fine tuning everything we do in practice, how that carries over onto the court, and the energy we're bringing each and every set."
In its three sets against the Rangers, Blinn brought more than enough for its 15th sweep of the season.
Freshman right-side hitter Kellen Dorotik finished with a team-high 12 kills, while three other Bucs neared the double-digit mark. Sophomore middle blocker Brooke Pattschull had nine kills, and sophomore outside hitters Lexi Higgins and Jaedyn Newman had nine and seven, respectively. Dorotik continues to lead NJCAA Division I in kills with 274.
Dorotik said her individual accomplishments are a product of the team's cohesiveness.
"It's not just me," Dorotik said. "Our outside hitters, our middles ... they're all really, really good. The middles especially ... they're pulling our block, they're so active, and they're really the ones carrying the energy on the court. They're helping everyone else be successful."
With 29 set assists, Howard played a large role in the hitters' success. The freshman's recent emergence as a consistent distributor in the heart of the Blinn offense has helped limit unforced errors that had previously hindered the blue, black, and white.
"Our ball control is getting better and we're getting consistent to the point where we can set our middle blockers and our outside hitters in a way that makes us really good," Bucs head coach Terry Gamble said. "We have great arms on this team, so whenever we can give them great sets, the chances of them putting the ball away is really good."
At the service line, Blinn tallied five aces, led by a pair for sophomore hitter/libero Kaylen Kruse.
On defense, freshman libero Cierra Pesak paced her team with 12 digs, followed by nine for freshman libero Kirby Kliafas. At the net, Pattschull, Newman, and sophomore middle blocker Taylor Glendening each had a solo block, while Dorotik and Glendening finished with three block assists apiece.
Next up for the Bucs is a weekend at home as they prepare to host the Blinn Invitational. The Bucs will play four matches in two days, beginning with an 11 a.m. tilt against College of DuPage, the sixth-ranked team in NJCAA Division III. Blinn will take on Dallas College North Lake at 5 p.m. on Friday. On Saturday, the Bucs battle Dallas College Richland at 11 a.m. and Dallas College Brookhaven (ranked seventh in NJCAA DIII) at 5 p.m.
"No days off whatsoever," Gamble said with a laugh. "We'll be right back at it and hopefully winning a couple more."
(Story by Joe Alberico, Blinn College Sports Information)