BLINN VOLLEYBALL GETS FIRST REGION WIN OF THE SEASON OVER LEE COLLEGE
Story by Joe Alberico, Blinn College Sports Information
The No. 16 Blinn College volleyball team broke into the Region 14 win column with a sweep of Lee College on Tuesday at the Kruse Center in Brenham.
The victory improved the Buccaneers to 18-4 overall and 1-3 in Region 14 play.
Blinn controlled the match from start to finish, combining a balanced attack with strong serve receive and defensive play. The Bucs recorded 46 kills, six aces, four blocks, and 42 digs while limiting Lee to four blocks.
The Bucs also hit .271 as a team, including a robust .406 in the middle set.
Sophomore outside hitter Aliyah Harris led Blinn with 17 kills on 33 attacks and added two blocks to finish. Harris' kill total matched her season high, which she recorder during a win over Amarillo College on Sept. 4.
Sophomore hitter Kassandra De La Garza and freshman hitter Akira Smallwood each contributed seven kills, while sophomore middle blocker Alana Asante added six.
Freshman setter Skylar Herring orchestrated the Blinn offense with 33 assists and also recorded four aces and seven digs. Sophomore libero/defensive specialist Natalia Silva led the Bucs with 11 digs, followed by Smallwood with 10 and Herring with seven.
Head coach Gregg Whitis praised his team's serve receive, specifically pointing to Silva, Smallwood, and freshman libero/defensive specialist Karolynn Youngblood for their passing. Whitis also recognized Herring for providing a strong performance from the service line.
“It’s always good to win; it’s good to be back on that side of it,” Whitis said. “There’s a standard we have to play to, and our players understand the standard.”
Blinn's victory came despite unforced errors that have challenged the Bucs during their recent stretch.
“We can’t score half the points the other team needs to win a set,” Whitis said. “We are consumed with unforced errors. That’s just the stretch we’re in.”
Whitis said the coaching staff continues to evaluate different combinations as the Bucs work to find greater consistency.
“It’s my job as a coach to find the combination of kids who can play to the standard,” he said. “Our players have to be accountable to the team and to themselves as to how they’re touching the ball.”
Blinn has utilized a large portion of its roster during the process.
“We’re playing 14-15 people right now as we search for answers,” Whitis explained.
Despite the challenges, Whitis reiterated the importance of Tuesday's positive outcome.
“It’s good to get a win in the region and it’s good to win at home," he said.
The Bucs will return to region action when they travel to face No. 9 Panola College at 6 p.m. on Thursday in Carthage, Texas.