ALVA – Northwestern volleyball returned home for a match-up against the rival Southwestern Oklahoma State. The Rangers completed a 3-1 win over the Bulldogs behind an electric crowd. Northwestern took the first two sets before closing out the match victory in Set 4.
Northwestern improves to 6-8 on the season with a 3-1 record in the Great American Conference while giving Southwestern their first conference loss following to 2-1 and 7-4 overall on the season.
The Rangers were led by Erika Asencio Soriano with 19 kills and Ece Ozdemir totaling 14 behind 55 assists for Cameron Lobb (second most of all time in a four-set match for the Rangers) and 18 digs by Brianda Diaz in the team victory.
Set 1
Lobb started the match off with a serve leading to a Ranger point on a Bulldog attack error. But Southwestern's 5-2 lead did not stop the Rangers fighting back behind a strong kill by Ivanny Blackwood. That was followed by a service ace from Mikayla White and a kill by Ozdemir that tied the set at 7-7.
The score continued to trade, hitting a stalemate as the Rangers and Bulldogs tied at 10 before Northwestern took control of the set. Asencio Soriano closed off a kill to push the Rangers back in front at 11-10. This helped the Rangers slowly pull away. Mariela Jimenez denied the Bulldogs with a block, giving the Rangers an 18-13 lead – the largest lead to that point in the set.
Southwestern attempted to come back, getting the Ranger lead down to three in a couple of tries and eventually as close as one at 22-21. However, out of a Ranger timeout, Blackwood killed the Bulldog momentum pushing the score back to 23-21. Erika Asencio Soriano closed out the set victory with a kill, giving the Rangers a 25-22 victory and 1-0 match lead.
Set 2
Northwestern, keeping all momentum, jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second set behind a kill by Ascencio Soriano. Southwestern was able to tie the match at 4-4 after a Ranger error. The Rangers regained the lead right away with two straight kills by Ozdemir. Southwestern took their first lead at 11-10 over the Rangers after four straight points closed off by back-to-back kills, the second being from Zoey Sparks.
As the Rangers trailed 12-10, Northwestern went for seven straight points taking a 17-10 lead. A kill by Ascencio Soriano started this run. The Rangers, fully regaining momentum, continued as Ascencio Soriano served an ace and Ozdemir provided two big kills, taking a 17-12 lead.
Rangers continued to keep distance from there opening a 20-16 lead over Southwestern. After a kill by Carmae Jones, Ascencio Soriano's huge kill closed out the second set 25-19 in favor of the Rangers, who took a 2-0 match lead.
Set 3
Southwestern, trying to come back in the match, took three straight points after the Rangers took the first one. Mariela Jimenez helped the Rangers get back with a kill that tied the match at 4-4. Southwestern slowly took a slight lead after a kill by Maddie Clark had them in a 9-7 lead. Jones finished off another kill to cut the Bulldog run, but Southwestern jumped right back on the board with back-to-back kills coming from Clark once more.
The Rangers took their first time out, trailing 12-8. The timeout cooled off Southwestern a bit as the Rangers cut the deficit back to one. A kill by Jimenez and a service ace by Brooke Miller put the Rangers down 15-14. After a kill by Lacy Mott and Taryn Galt, Southwestern regained a four-point lead, but the Rangers came roaring back.
Down 22-18, Ascencio Soriano sparked another run with a kill, followed by Macy Shreffler and an attack error that had the Rangers down 22-21. After climbing back into the set, an attack error on the Bulldogs from Cameron Turner put the Rangers up 24-23. Southwestern took back the set, though, going up 26-25 and winning 27-25.
Set Four
After extending the match, Southwestern opened the fourth set on a 4-0 run. Ascencio Soriano sparked the Ranger comeback, though, with an electric kill putting the Rangers on the board. Ivanny Blackwood continued with another kill. Southwestern tried to keep the Rangers in the distance taking a 9-3 lead. Once again, though, the Rangers battled back with a service ace by Brianda Diaz that gave the Rangers three straight points.
A momentum-changing kill by Ozdemir got the Rangers within one before Jimenez had the huge kill, tying the set at 11. Ascencio Soriano continued to keep the Rangers at full momentum, putting the Rangers in front at 13-12 for the first time in the set. At 13-13, a kill by Cameron Lobb put the Rangers back in front followed by a block by Jones that helped give the Rangers some distance.
Northwestern fully built off the play, jumping out to an 18-14 lead that forced the visitors into a timeout. The Red-and-Black continued to pull away after a kill by Jones, Ozdemir and Jimenez gave the Rangers a 21-16 lead.
Southwestern battled back, getting within one at 23-22, but Asencio Soriano killed off the run and put the Rangers up 24-22. The a Lobb service ace gave the Rangers a 25-22 win and a 3-1 match win overall.
Northwestern was to travel to East Central on Thursday for continuing conference play in Ada.
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