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Blinn College

Scoreboard

Blinn VB Celebration Region Semifinal 2024
0
Panola College PANOLA C
3
Winner Blinn College BLINN CO
Panola College PANOLA C
0
Final
3
Blinn College BLINN CO
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 F
Panola College PANOLA C 23 15 21 (0)
Blinn College BLINN CO 25 25 25 (3)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball |

No. 6 Blinn fends off Panola to reach Region XIV Tournament title match

The Buccaneers face No. 13 Navarro in the championship bout at 1 p.m. on Sunday

The sixth-ranked Blinn College volleyball team survived a tense first set before working past Panola College for a sweep in the semifinal round of the Region XIV Tournament on Saturday at the Kruse Center in Brenham, Texas.

Behind a 25-23, 25-15, 25-21 win, the Buccaneers (37-2) advanced to the tournament championship match to take on No. 13 Navarro College at 1 p.m. on Sunday at the Kruse Center. Navarro swept 14th-ranked Trinity Valley Community College in Saturday's other semifinal tilt.

"When you get into the postseason, a win is really the most important stat of the day," Blinn head coach Terry Gamble said. "We struggled, especially with our ball control and hitting errors, but we found a way to persevere. We still have to get way better if we're going to be where we want to be at the end of the season."

In light of some recent struggles, the Bucs are on a 30-match winning streak and continue to find ways to get the job done. 

Kellen Dorotik 2024
(Pictured: Blinn sophomore Kellen Dorotik spikes the ball over the net during a match against Panola College on Nov. 9, 2024)

That was the theme of the day against Panola.

The Fillies gave Blinn trouble right from the get-go, racing out to a quick 6-2 lead. The Bucs battled back to forth a topsy-turvy affair that led to a 12-12 tie mid match, but Panola went on a 7-1 run to take a commanding 19-13 edge.

Blinn freshman outside hitter Greta Rakow got her team back on track, however, when she buried a kill between two diving Fillies to send the Bucs on a run of their own. Sophomore right-side hitter Kellen Dorotik bounced a kill off a Fillie to tie the set at 19-all. 

Still, Panola refused to go away, and the teams played to a 23-23 deadlock. From there, freshman setter/middle blocker Bromli Watson executed a perfect set dump to the Fillies' middle court, and Panola was subsequently flagged for being out of rotation to give Blinn the win.

The Bucs took control of set two early with a 6-0 burst and were in control for the entirety. Panola made its move mid-set with a 4-0 spurt that made it a 17-14 Blinn lead, but the Bucs answered with an 8-1 push to take the 2-0 set advantage.

Greta Rakow 2024
(Pictured: Blinn freshman Greta Rakow spikes the ball over the net during a match against Panola College on Nov. 9, 2024)

Set three proved to be another nail-biter, with Panola refusing to fold late in the set. 

Blinn led 20-16 until the Fillies pulled to within 21-20 and late 22-21. The Bucs closed out the victory on a tandem block from Dorotik and freshman middle blocker Jana Cetkovik; a Panola boundary violation; and a double-hit foul by the Fillies.

"Panola played hard and that's what you expect from a good, well-coached team," Gambled said. "Getting a win over anyone at this point is tough so we're happy with the outcome."

For the match, Dorotik spearheaded Blinn's offense with 12 kills. Freshman outside hitter MaKenna Loo tacked on eight kills and Rakow had five. 

Bromli Watson 2024
(Pictured: Blinn freshman Bromli Watson blocks the ball over the net during a match against Panola College on Nov. 9, 2024)

Freshman setter Leah Hoss had a team-high 16 set assists. Watson added eight. Rakow had four of the Bucs' eight aces from the service line.

Defensively, sophomore Cierra Pesak had a team-high 17 digs and Loo chipped in 11. At the net, Dorotik and Cetkovic had an impressive seven block assists apiece, freshman middle blocker Karolina Karabasz tallied five, and Rakow finished with three. Loo had one solo block with one assist. 

Up next, Blinn and Navarro will battle for the region tournament crown and an automatic bid in the upcoming NJCAA Division I Volleyball Championship tournament. The match will be broadcast live at www.tsbnsports.com/2024-region-14-volleyball-tournament.

Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 49 national championships since 1987.
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