Play game. Win game.
For 66 days – and counting – it has been a simple and effective formula for the second-ranked Blinn College volleyball team.
The Buccaneers again put their recipe for success to the test Tuesday night and cooked up another masterpiece as they swept Coastal Bend 25-12, 25-22, 25-17 in a Region XIV road tilt in Beeville.
Blinn (34-1, 15-0 Region XIV) won its 33rd straight match and is one victory away from a perfect region run. The Buccaneers dropped Coastal Bend to 10-19 overall and 0-14 in the region.
"It was nice to get a win on the road," fourth-year Blinn head coach Terry Gamble said. "I thought Coastal Bend played really hard."
Setting the tone on offense was sophomore hitter Jayde Shelton, who continued her outstanding season-long run with 14 kills. She ranks in the Top 10 in kills across the NJCAA.
Also contributing to the offensive attack were sophomores Reagan Casey (eight kills) and Charde Van Zandt (seven). Sophomore setter Savannah Sebek distributed 32 set assists, and sophomore Kyndal Coufal tallied a team-high three service aces. Sophomore Guila Hortelan added two aces and sophomores Lixai Perez and Emily Smajstria had one apiece.
On defense, Hortelan recorded a team-high seven digs and Perez added five. Sebek chipped in with four. Sophomore Ashley Taylor had a strong night at the net with a pair of solo blocks and three assists, and Hortelan and Casey each had four assisted blocks of their own.
The Buccaneers will end their regular season with region home match against Lee College at 6 p.m. on Thursday at the Kruse Center. Blinn will celebrate Sophomore Day ahead of the bout.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 42 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
About the Blinn College District
With innovative programs and award-winning co-enrollment partnerships, Blinn's academic transfer rate ranks No. 1 among Texas community colleges. Courses are available online and at five Central Texas campuses, and students save 43% in tuition and fees compared to the average state university. For more information, visit www.blinn.edu.
