PITTSBURG, KS – Northwestern Oklahoma State University seven game win streak ended in a tough bout to Chadron State College, but bounced back quickly and came away with a match sweep against the tournament host, Pittsburg State University.
Lady Rangers comeback bid down 0-2, to fall short in the fifth set to the Chadron State Eagles [20-25,21-25,25-17,25-23,5-15].
Set 1 & 2
The Lady Rangers and the Eagles had a tough first set. Tied at 10-10, it was a continuous back and forth affair between the two teams all the way up unit it was 19-19. The Chadron State outsides pulled together a flurry of kills to down the black-and-red the first set, 20-25.
The second set started more of the same, as neither team could grasp the lead, tying it at 8-8 was Senior Hannah Williams who gave them their last kill before the Eagles made an 8-0 run. Freshman Kaydee Honeycutt retaliated scoring three points in a row, but it was not enough momentum to help the Lady Rangers gain the lead.
Chadron pushed the lead up to game-point at 15-24, but Northwestern was determined not to go away as they score six points straight, yet the Eagles finished it before the Lady Rangers could tie as Chadron went up 2-0 in the match, winning 25-21.
Set 3 & 4
With their seven game winning streak on the line, the Lady Rangers stayed composed in this set. Halfway through the third set the score sitting at 14-14, Northwestern took the lead, scoring four in a row. Redshirt-junior Kiauna Clark scoring back-to-back kills gave them the momentum boost they needed to pull off their first set win 25-17.
A fight to the finish, the Lady Rangers and Eagles had a very intense set with several lead changes towards the end the match. Tied up at 18-18, the Eagles score quick kills to get up, but three errors helped the Lady Rangers tie it yet again at 21-21.
Two back-to-back kills and a block from Lady Rangers Kiauna Clark gave them the lead at 24-22 and Eagles Aracely Hernandez reciprocated back with a kill, but Clark took matters into her own hands and finished off the set with a kill of her own 25-23.
Set 5
As the lady Rangers made a mighty comeback to tie up the match and move on to the fifth set it was enough to hold, as the Eagles controlled this set winning 15-5.
Pittsburg State University
Northwestern comes away with a key victory and serving Pittsburg State their first loss of the season, sweeping the Gorillas [25-23, 25-18, 26-24].
Set 1
Northwestern had maintained the lead up to most of the set until Chadron State tied it at 21-21 leading to a Northwestern Oklahoma State University timeout. Coming out of the timeout Pitt State got their first lead of the set. With help of Cassidy Hackett assisting on three straight kills, the Lady Rangers win the first set 25-23.
Set 2
Northwestern and Pitt. State fought for control of the lead as the beginning of the set was point-for-point until the black-and-red began pulling away. Pushing their lead up to as much as seven points, giving them a firm 19-12 lead. The Lady Rangers walk away with a smooth victory, winning 25-18.
Set 3
Brooklynn Hesson led the way to start of what would be the final set of the match, scoring four kills as Northwestern held a firm lead 11-5. The Gorillas made a push to try and negate the Lady Rangers sweep, as they made a come back and tied up the set at 24-24. However, a block by senior Hannah Williams would give the black-and-red a lead and confirmed sweep over Pitt. State, 26-24.
The Lady Rangers will move on to a record of 8-1, and head into their first Great American Conference game of the season against Oklahoma Baptist University September 4, at 7:00 p.m. in Shawnee, Oklahoma.
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