Volleyball finishes 6th in nation after loss to Blinn

Amanda Booren - 11/19/2007

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - With a 30-32, 25-30, 27-30 heartbreaking loss to in-state rival Blinn College, the San Jacinto College volleyball team finished the 2007 season in 6th place at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) tournament, Saturday afternoon at the Mid-America Center.

The two teams battled early and often throughout the match, but Blinn's hitting proved to be too much for San Jac to handle. Freshman Bruna Rocha (Sao Paulo, Brazil) led San Jac with 17 kills, while sophomore Lauren Priestley (Katy, Texas) knocked down 13. As a team, San Jac hit .212 for the match.

This was the third-straight trip to the national tournament for San Jac. This year's sixth-place finish is the highest finish at the national tournament since 1993 when the team finished second.

San Jac defeated Barton County Community College in five games in the opening round on Thursday, and then later fell to Miami Dade College, again in five sets. San Jac bounced back to sweep tournament host, and defending national champion, Iowa Western Community College to earn a spot in today's fifth-place match against Blinn.

Miami Dade will face Western Nebraska Community College at 7 p.m. tonight for the national title.

San Jac finishes the year with a 30-13 record, including an undefeated 12-0 mark in conference play. This was the last match in a San Jac uniform for seven sophomores: Amber Murphy (Rio Rancho, New Mexico), Priestley, Lauryn Douglas (League City, Texas), Jackie Melinder (Deer Park, Texas), Jessica Batura (Downer's Grove, Illinois), Ligia Clemente (Sao Paulo, Brazil), and Lindsey Schindler (Hallettsville, Texas).