For the first time since 2009, the Panola College Fillies are headed back to the NJCAA National Tournament. PC punched their ticket by taking down Lee College, 15th ranked Wharton County, and #14 San Jacinto College.

 

 

 

 

Fillies celebrate Region XIV Championship victory. Photo Credit: Teresa Beasley

 

 

 

Panola swept host Lee College in the opening match of the weekend (25-20, 25-19, 25-19). Offensively, freshman outside Jaqueline da Silva led with 8 kills, followed by a trio of hitters (freshman right side Kaitlin Adams, sophomore outside Victoria Baptista, and freshman middle blocker Barbara Sabino) all adding 6 apiece. Freshman setters Kinly Carter and Cayman Sutton dished out 16 and 15 assists, respectively.

 

 

 

Sophomore libero Morgan Currie led the defense with 16 digs, with da Silva adding 6. Sophomore middle blocker Rachel Henderson dominated the net picking up 6 total blocks, while Adams and Sabino each added 4.

 

The win over Lee set up a rematch with Wharton County and resulted in another sweep for the Fillies (25-22, 25-18, 25-22). Barbara Sabino led the way with 8 kills, Jaqueline da Silva picked up 7, and Kaitlyn Adams and freshman right side Saadia Sahadeo added 6 apiece. Cayman Sutton and Kinly Carter dished out 16 and 13 assists each with Carter also adding two aces.

 

Adams and Sabino came up big at the net with 5 blocks apiece with Rachel Henderson and Sahadeo adding 3 each. Morgan Currie picked up 10 digs and 4 key aces, da Silva 8 digs and Baptista 7.

 

In the Region XIV Tournament championship match Panola took down San Jacinto College in four sets (25-21, 22-25, 29-27, 26-24). It was an epic battle that saw 27 tie scores and 10 lead changes.

 

The trio of Jaqueline da Silva, Victoria Baptista, and Kaitlyn Adams pounded out 15, 14, and 11 kills apiece, with Rachel Henderson adding 9 and Barbara Sabino 6. Cayman Sutton and Kinly Carter set up the offense with 29 and 25 assists, respectively. Sutton also added 8 digs and Carter picked up 3 aces.

 

Libero Morgan Currie racked up a match-high 26 digs, da Silva picked up 16 of her own, and Baptista added 10. Sabino tallied 9 total blocks, Baptista added 5, and Henderson 3.

 

For their efforts over the weekend, freshman middle blocker Barbara Sabino was voted an All-Tournament selection while sophomore outside Victoria Baptista was named Most Valuable Player.

 

With the victory, the top-ranked Fillies advance to the NJCAA National Tournament in Casper, Wyoming November 17-19.