TYLER, Texas – Blinn College volleyball has been awfully hard to score points on during the NJCAA Region XIV Tournament and that tenacity has earned the Buccaneers another trip to the NJCAA Division I National Tournament after beating San Jacinto College-Central and Panola College Saturday at Wagstaff Gymnasium in Tyler.
Blinn didn't even drop a set in beating both teams in its quest for nationals. The Buccaneers started off the day sweeping Panola by the score 25-14, 25-10 and 25-21 and then punching a ticket to nationals with a 25-22, 25-16 and 25-17 victory over San Jacinto. Blinn will make its third consecutive trip to the national tournament and has won the national championship the last two years as well.
Aside from a trip to nationals, Blinn has earned a spot in the Region XIV Championship match Sunday, Nov. 8 against the winner of Panola or San Jacinto at 3 p.m. Blinn's record now improves to 28-9 overall with the pair of victories.
The Buccaneers have been able to show balance all tournament in both matches. Against San Jacinto, Eboni Mitchell and Alexis Kingston led with seven kills. Jordyn Keamo dished out 32 assists and eight digs.
San Jacinto kept it tight in the opening set and even led 13-10 but then Blinn came storming back to steal the first set 25-22. The second set was much better for Blinn, winning 25-16 to take a 2-0 set advantage.
The third set was extremely close at the beginning as both team split the first 24 points but then Blinn started to distance itself. The Buccaneers grabbed an 18-13 lead and from there held on for the 25-17 victory and the sweep.
In the Panola match, Abolanle Onipede led in kills with eight while Danusia Borgeaud and Kingston each had seven. Keamo handed out 34 assists while Borgeaud had nine digs.
In the first set against Panola, Blinn was able to get some distance in the latter part when Mitchell delivered a kill for a 19-12 lead. Onipede was able to close out the first with a block for a 25-14 victory.
Blinn came out firing in the second set and only allowed 10 points to Panola and looked for the sweep in the third set. Panola kept it close for a while but Keamo earned a kill to make it 24-21 and then the Buccaneers earned the next point for the sweep.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 32 NJCAA national championships since 1987. For more information, visit www.buccaneersports.com.
About Blinn College
With an enrollment of 19,422 students, Blinn ranks among the nation's leaders in transferring students to leading four-year universities and has received national recognition for affordable educational excellence. For more information, visit www.blinn.edu.
