BLINN VOLLEYBALL SWEEPS MCLENNAN FOR THIRD STRAIGHT WIN
Story by Joe Alberico, Blinn College Sports Information
The 16th-ranked Blinn College volleyball team battled past McLennan Community College for a non-region road sweep Monday night in Waco, Texas.
The Bucs prevailed 25-22, 25-19, 25-21 for their 15th sweep of the season.
“It was good to win,” Blinn head coach Gregg Whitis said, “and good to win on the road.”
Blinn defeated the Highlassies for the third time this season and won its third consecutive match to improve to 20-4 overall. In three meetings with McLennan this season, the Bucs dropped just one set.
Freshman hitter Akira Smallwood led Blinn with 12 kills and added four digs. Sophomore hitter Kassandra De La Garza recorded seven kills while hitting .375, along with four digs and two block assists.
Sophomore middle blocker Alana Asante contributed three kills, three block assists and a solo block. Sophomore hitter Aliyah Harris and freshman middle blocker London King each added three kills, with King also recording two solo blocks.
Freshman setter Skylar Herring fueled the Bucs offense with 28 assists, while sophomore libero/defensive specialist Natalia Silva led the defensive effort with 13 digs.
As a team, Blinn recorded 34 kills against 14 errors on 87 attacks for a .230 hitting percentage. The Bucs also totaled six service aces and 35 digs.
“We've never passed the ball better collectively as a team,” Whitis said. “This is the best stretch of serve receive we've had all season. Now our setting and attacking need to follow our reception.”
Whitis was pleased with Silva's defensive performance against a McLennan team that had its two best left-side hitters healthy and playing against Blinn for the first time this season.
“I was happy with the way Natalia Silva played tonight,” Whitis said. “She received it and defended it pretty well. So, Silva did a good job of digging a high number of balls tonight. Then she served it tough as well.”
Smallwood provided one of her best offensive performances of the season.
“Akira had a strong night offensively … probably her best night offensively,” Whitis said. “We needed her scoring points, and she and De La Garza were two that we could count on to score tonight.”
The Bucs will quickly turn their attention to Region 14 play Tuesday when they travel to Wharton County Junior College for a 6 p.m. matchup in Wharton, Texas.
“Tomorrow's (Tuesday's) the important one,” Whitis said. “We'll get right back on the road tomorrow (Tuesday) and go to Wharton and try to get back to even in the region standings.”