Ace Matchup: 'Dawgs Challenge Blinn Tuesday

By Press release submission

Sep 23, 2022

Navarro Volleyball is picking up steam while leaving vapor trails on the court.

Coach Ariel Apolinario's 13th-ranked Bulldogs made it known that they are ready to serve. They will serve and carry out the plan of the day Tuesday when they challenge 15th-ranked reigning league champion Blinn (22-4/3-2) at the Kruse Center in Brenham.

During their six-win road trip through South Texas last week that included two conference victories before a 4-0 weekend at the Lee College Invitational, the NJCAA Division I ace leaders pounded 78, with 55 coming at Baytown. Navarro (18-2/4-1) extended its winning streak to 10 matches and ran its sweep-win total to 11.

You might say they aced the test. You might have said that Friday night after a 3-1 win over traditional power College of Southern Idaho Golden Eagles. You might have repeated it Saturday morning after a 3-0 sweep of Division II's 13th-ranked St Johns River State College Vikings.

It wasn't just a dream. Their big news Friday became bigger Saturday, bright and early after a good night's rest.

About 12 hours after hammering 21 aces in a 25-20, 23-25, 25-20, 25-19 slugfest, the Bulldogs returned Saturday to the Lee Wellness Center Arena to duplicate the feat against SJRSC (11-4). Back-to-back. Friday night, NC had become only the third Division I program this season to sock 20 or more aces in a match. Before Bulldogs Hall of Fame ceremonies commenced Saturday morning, the NJCAA service-ace leaders joined Monroe College as the only ones to do it twice.

Friday's 21-gun salute against CSI featured freshman outside hitter Hanna Tylska, who fired 11 aces and registered the program's first triple-double in more than a decade. Combined with 21 kills and 12 digs, Tylska fashioned Navarro's first kill-dig-ace triple since the beginning of the 2012 season – perhaps longer. Tylska equaled NC's individual match mark of 11, first achieved by Southern Illinois outside hitter Nataly Garcia during a March 4, 2020 conference match against Victoria at The Wolens Special Events Center.

Saturday's bullet barrage featured aces from seven players -- but not one from Tylska. Ammunition supplied by Lilouann Bechec (6), Alessia Sonzini and Kalina Pylinska (4 each), Maria Eduarda Dudao (3), Elena Aguinaga (2), Alyssa Sotelo and Berfin Mertcan (1 each) did the damage.

Early Monday as national stats were updating, Navarro was ranked among the Top 10 in 10 different categories, while Tylska led NJCAA D-I individuals in aces (66), kills-per-set (5.23) and points-per-set (6.8).

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SERVICE ACES

(Navarro, Team)

1. 21 v College of Southern Idaho, 2022

1. 21 v St. Johns River State, 2022

3. 20 v Victoria, March, 2020

4. 18 v Yavapai, August, 2021

4. 18 v Western Texas, August, 2014

4. 18 v Weatherford, 2022

7. 17 v Dallas College-Eastfield, 2022

8. 15 v Seward County, September, 2017

8. 15 v Wharton, 2022