This time it was Texas rival Blinn that did the damage, sweeping TC 25-17, 26-24, 25-8 at Mid-America Center.
Reese did not return a phone message seeking comment after her team’s match.
The 13th-seeded Lady Leopards (26-13) will play Hutchinson (Kan.) in a losers-bracket match at noon today, but the best they can finish is ninth in the single-elimination, 16-team event.
No. 4-ranked Blinn went on to defeat San Jacinto in a quarterfinal match and will play No. 1 Iowa Western in a semifinal at 6:30 tonight. The other semifinal will feature No. 2 Western Nebraska against No. 3 Arkansas-Fort Smith.
Temple gave the Lady Bucs (31-2) a good fight in the first two sets. The Lady Leopards were within one point of Blinn for most of the first set before the Lady Bucs got a strong late run to pull away.
Temple looked like it might get back in it in the second set when it took a 24-22 lead, but the Lady Bucs rallied off four straight points to win the set and go up 2-0.
The Lady Leopards, who had a lowly .094 hitting percentage, were led by sophomore hitter Sara Heger with 11 kills and a block. Precious Sanders added seven kills and Melissa Padgett and Heather Lisenbe added six each. Padgett added 11 digs and two aces.
Blinn, which has a 19-match winning streak and beat TC three times this year, was led by freshman outside hitter Cinthya Roberto, who had 13 kills. Lakeshia Craft chipped in 12 kills.
TC should have a better matchup against No. 12 Hutchinson, which was swept by San Jacinto, 25-11, 25-14, 25-21.
