SHAWNEE, OKLAHOMA - The Ranger Volleyball team hit the road for the GAC Tournament and opened up in the quarterfinals against the #2 ranked Bison. Northwestern was able to overcome the higher seed pulling off the upset over Oklahoma Baptist 3-1, making them the first seven seed team to upset a two seed in the GAC Tournament. Addison Wimmer led in kills with 25, breaking the record for most kills in a four set tournament match. Cameron Lobb collected 51 assists and Andrea Coady accumulated 27 digs. Tarra Parks, Courtney Russell, and Wimmer all picked up double doubles with their kills and digs. 

SET ONE: 

In the opening set of the tournament the Bison came out firing with three straight points on three kills to open the match. Addison Wimmer started things for the Rangers with her first kill as the Rangers trailed 3-1. Andrea Coady followed with a service ace to bring the Rangers back within one. Oklahoma Baptist answered back with four of the five next points as the Rangers trailed 7-3. After a timeout with the Rangers trailing 15-10 the teams traded 3-0 runs as the Bison maintained their five point lead before scoring five of the next six points as two kills by Jones and Parks brought the Rangers back within two at 19-17. Oklahoma Baptist closed out the first set following the timeout on a 6-1 run from two blocks and two kills as the Bison took a 1-0 lead in the match. 

SET TWO: 

Northwestern started the second set strong with a kill from Russell and Wimmer to take an early 2-0 lead. After a service error and a block the Bison rattled off three straight points to take a 3-2 lead over Northwestern. After a kill from Russell the game was locked back at five a piece before Oklahoma Baptist took the lead at 9-6. Northwestern continued to battle scoring four of the next five points as Ravyn Burns with the kill tied the score back at 11-11. The Bison answered with two kills to take a 14-11 lead. Northwestern would never go away pushing point for point keeping the team within striking distance in the set. The teams traded runs as the Bison pushed their lead to 20-17 over the Rangers. A kill WImmer and Parks followed by a service ace by Lobb had the Rangers even at 20-20 as Oklahoma Baptist called a timeout. Northwestern regained the lead in the set at 22-21 following a kill by Parks. Oklahoma Baptist tied the set at 22-22, but Russell and Parks pushed it to set point before a block by Burns and Jones killed the set with a Ranger 25-22 win evening the match at 1-1. 

SET THREE: 

After closing out set two on a 8-2 run the Rangers kept the momentum into the third set, rattling off the first three points on a kill by Parks, Jones solo block, before a service ace by Miller put the Rangers up 3-0. Bison answered back with three straight for a 3-3, as the score remained tied through 5-5. Northwestern finished off a 4-0 run taking an 8-5 lead as the Bison called a timeout. Oklahoma Baptist brought it back within one point at 8-7 but the Rangers again had the answer for a 12-7 lead. A block by Wimmer had the Rangers run started before two Oklahoma Baptist errors kept the run going. Northwestern maintained the lead as the Bison closed within one at 15-14 . Northwestern called a timeout as out of the break a kill by Carmae Jones regained the momentum scoring four straight points to take a 19-14 lead. The Bison climbed back to tie the set at 24-24 forcing extra points in the third set. A kill by Carmae Jones followed by a kill by Wimmer to give the Rangers a 28-26 set win and a 2-1 match lead! 

SET FOUR:

Northwestern for the third straight set took the first two points and the team continued to carry the momentum into the fourth set. With the set tied at 2-2, Northwestern took the next six points to open an 8-2 lead as Parks and Wimmer each had two kills in the run with Burns adding one. Russell fired off an ace serve to contribute to the Rangers upward momentum. The Bison fought back by stringing together a 3-0 and 2-0 run to trail 12-9. Wimmer countered with back to back kills. Burns and Russell fired off a kill each to further Northwestern's lead 18-14. Jones started to heat up as well, adding a soloblock and additional kill for the Rangers. Wimmer and Russell once again contributed a kill each. Andrea Coady hustled to send over a free ball kill to clinch the first ever seven seed upset of the two seed in GAC Tournament history 25-22.

Northwestern will now play against #3 ranked Southwestern Oklahoma State Friday afternoon with the start time scheduled for 2:00 PM against the Bulldogs. The match will be in Shawnee, Oklahoma at the Fire Lake Arena.