The 16th-ranked Blinn College volleyball team fell to fourth-ranked Western Nebraska Community College in the opening round of the NJCAA Division I Volleyball Championship on Thursday at the West Plains Civic Center in West Plains, Mo. 

Western Nebraska, seeded fourth in the 16-team tournament, defeated the 13th-seeded Buccaneers in four sets, 25-23, 25-23, 13-25, 25-23.

Blinn (33-10) moves into the consolation bracket, where it will battle 12th-seeded Northeastern Junior College (Sterling, Colo.) on Friday.

"We played hard and I'm proud of our effort," Buccaneers head coach Terry Gamble said.

Sophomore hitter Kierslynn Wright led Blinn offensively with 18 kills. Freshman hitter LaNeah Lara followed with 11 kills, and freshmen Taylor Glendening and Zuzia Rut added eight apiece. 

Freshman setter Darby Nash dished out 40 set assists. Freshman libero Emily Hardee had two service aces.

On defense, sophomore libero Ellie Turner recorded a team-high 28 digs. Freshman utility Kaylen Kruse had 13, Wright finished with 10, and Hardee had nine. 

Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 42 NJCAA national championships since 1987.