MAGNOLIA, ARKANSAS - Northwestern Oklahoma State opened a two game trip to Arkansas with the first one set against Southern Arkansas followed by Arkansas Monticello. In the week opener the Rangers fell to the Muleriders 3-1 in the match after taking the first set Southern Arkansas responded with three straight.

The Rangers drop to 8-13 on the season with a 4-6 conference record while Southern Arkansas improves to 12-10 with a 6-4 record in the Great American Conference.

Northwestern was led by Erika Asencio Soriano with 19 kills followed by Mariela Jimenez with 13. Carmae Jones led the team with five blocks as Abby Davis had 21 assists. Brianda Diaz finished with 24 digs. 

Southern Arkansas opened the match with the first point of the night off a kill from Lauryn Moultrie. Northwestern responded with the next point to even the match. Asencio Soriano had the first kill of the night for Northwestern to take a 2-1 lead. Mariela Jimenez had a service ace to take a 4-2 lead. Another service ace by Northwestern this time Cameron Lobb pushed the lead to 7-4. The Muleriders came back to tie the game at 8-8, however a big block by Carmae Jones pushed the Rangers back in front at 9-8 over SAU. The set was tied three separate times at 10, 14 and then 16 before the Rangers changed the momentum with the next run. As the score was locked at 17-17 a strong kill by Ivanny Blackwood sparked a huge Ranger run. This opened a 23-17 lead following a 6-0 run. Macy Shreffler had back to back kills assisted by Abby Davis before a block sealed the run from Ozge Yavuz and Mariela Jimenez to push the Ranger lead to 23-17. Southern Arkansas got two points back but Shreffler finished off a kill, setting up the set point as the Rangers won the set 25-19 following an attack error. The Rangers went up 1-0 overall in the match. 

Northwestern looked to keep the momentum as Shreffler started with a kill taking a 1-0 lead followed by a Jimenez kill for back to back points. The Muleriders scored twice in a row to even the set at 2-2. Jimenez responded with back-to-back kills putting the Rangers back in front with a 4-2 lead. Northwestern held onto the lead for a length of the set. With the score 6-4 a quick 3-0 run was started by Erika Asencio Soriano followed by Mulerider errors as the Rangers held a 9-4 lead. After a 3-0 run by the home team Blackwood ended the run with a kill setup by Lobb before two  more straight points from the Rangers to hold a 14-8 lead. Northwestern maintained the lead still holding a six point lead at 18-12 but the Muleriders started to chip back into the set as three straight points started by a kill from Morgan Schuster cut the deficit in half at 18-15. With Northwestern still leading 20-16, Southern Arkansas took the set started by a kill from Landry Rogers to start a 6-0 run which included four kills and a service ace for the lead as the Muleriders took a 22-20 lead. A block by Macy Shreffler and Carmae Jones though ended the run and started a 3-0 run to regain the lead at 23-22. After a Mulerider timeout they took the lead back 24-23. A kill from Shreffler gave Northwestern their final point of the set as the Muleriders answered with two straight to win the set 26-24 to the match at 1-1. 

 The Rangers, looking to bounce back after set two, jumped out to a 2-0 lead grabbing the first points following a block by Shreffler and Jimenez. Northwestern then got a kill from Ascencio Soriano and a service ace from Jimenez taking a 5-2 lead. The Mulerriders trailing 6-3 then scored three straight points to tie the set at 6-6 following a service ace. The Rangers answered back with two straight on kills from Asencio Soriano and Blackwood. However Southern Arkansas did the same to come back and tie the set at 8-8. The Muleriders took their first lead of the set at 11-10 before a kill by Isla Olivas sent them in front by two. Northwestern grabbed the lead back though following a 3-0 run started by Ozge Yavuz and closed out by Carmae Jones. Southern Arkansas down 17-16 went on a 4-0 run to take a 20-17 lead. The Rangers continued to battle though as Macy Shreffler had back to back kills and Ivanny Blackwood with a kill to tie it at 20-20. Much like set two the Rangers took a 24-23 lead before Southern Arkansas went on a 3-0 run to steal the set at 26-24 the same final as in set two. 

The Rangers for the third straight set got the first point this time on a kill from Shreffler. The teams traded points as the Rangers took a 4-3 lead over Southern Arkansas but the Muleriders responded with a 3-0 run to take a 7-5 lead and their first lead of the set. Southern Arkansas continued to extend their lead this time opening a six point lead following a 4-0 run at 13-7. Looking to climb their way back in the set the Rangers went on a 4-0 run including a block from Nicole Soto and Jones. The Rangers cut the deficit to two at 14-12, but the Muleriders answered back with two straight points keeping the distance. A 3-0 run by Southern Arkansas following three straight kills set up a 21-16 lead for the home team.  Southern Arkansas continued to add on not letting the Rangers any closer as the Muleriders sealed the match victory 3-1 behind a 25-20 set victory.