CASPER, Wy. (November 22, 2014) - Miami Dade College came up one victory short in its quest for a national volleyball championship, falling to Blinn (Texas) College in four sets in the finals of the NJCAA Division I Volleyball Tournament.
After winning a grueling first set (33-31), Blinn won the second set 25-16 to go up 2-0. Miami Dade stayed alive with a 25-20 win in the third set, but Blinn claimed the championship with a 25-18 win in the fourth set.
Miami Dade, who entered the tournament as the No. 5 seed, finished its season with a 30-4 record. No. 2 seed Blinn finished 40-1 while winning its second straight championship.
En route to the championship match, Miami Dade defeated fellow FCSAA foe and No. 12 seed Polk State College (3-2), No. 4 Tyler (Texas) Junior College (3-1) and No. 9 Northwest (Wy.) College (3-0).
Meanwhile, Polk State rebounded from its opening round loss to defeat No. 13 Hill (Texas) College (3-1), and Suncoast Conference rival and No. 8 seed State College of Florida (3-0) to advance to the 9th place consolation bracket final. In that match, the Eagles dropped a 3-1 decision to No. 6 Salt Lake (Utah) Community College.
Prior to being eliminated by Polk State in the 9th place consolation semifinals, State College of Florida dropped its opening match to No. 9 Northwest College (3-2) then beat No. 16 Wallace (Ala.) State Community College-Hanceville (3-2).
Miami Dade's Silvia Galeano and Katie Hogan were named to the all-tournament team.
In Phoenix, Ariz., Pasco-Hernando State College's dream season ended with an eighth-place finish in the NJCAA Division II Volleyball Tournament.
The No. 4 seed Quistas won their opening match, 3-0 over No. 13 seed Wauboneese (Ill.) Community College but dropped a 3-1 decision to No. 5 Columbus State (Ohio) Community College in the quarterfinals to fall into the 5th/7th place consolation bracket.
A 3-1 loss to No. 8 Des Moines (Iowa) Area Community College knocked Pasco-Hernando State out of contention for fifth place and into the 7th place match, where it lost to No. 3 Illinois Central College 3-2.
The Quistas' season ended with a 39-8 record.
Logan Miller was named to the all-tournament team.