MONTICELLO, ARKANSAS - The Ranger Volleyball team closed out the two game trip to Arkansas with a 3-0 sweep of Arkansas Monticello. The Rangers ended their road losing streak with the win. The Rangers improve to 9-13 on the season with a 5-6 conference record while Monticello drops to 0-23 and a 0-11 Great American Conference.

Northwestern was led by Erika Asencio Soriano with 14 kills in the afternoon followed by Mariela Jimenez with 10. Cameron Lobb led with five aces and 23 assists in the match. Brianda Diaz finished with a team high 21 digs. 

Northwestern opened with the match's first point following a Monticello attack error. The Blossoms answered back though with three straight points taking their first lead of the game. Jimenez finished off her first kill of the match ending the run. Arkansas Monticello built a 12-9 lead before the Rangers turned the momentum in their favor. Abby Davis assisted a kill by Jimenez starting a 6-1 Northwestern lead. This kill was followed by a block by Jimenez and Ozge Yavuz. The Rangers tied the set at 13-13 on another block by Ozge Yavuz. Asencio Soriano fired off a kill through the Monticello defense to take the lead back. The set was tied again at 16-16 for the final time after a kill by Arkansas Monticello's Campbell Horn. Northwestern rattled off two straight points on a kill by Ivanny Blackwood, her first before a block by Mariela Jimenez. The Rangers held their lead at 20-18 before extending the lead to three at 23-20 following another block by the Ranger defense this time Carmae Jones. Asencio Soriano closed out the set with two kills to give the Rangers a 1-0 match lead with a 25-23 victory.

SET TWO:

The Rangers wasted no time taking control of the second set after a Monticello error Carmae Jones had a block. The Rangers opened the set on a 4-0 run, before Arkansas Monticello was on the board. Following the Blossoms point the Rangers extended their lead to 7-1 following back to back service aces from Asencio Soriano. Northwestern followed with another 7-1 run pushing the Ranger lead to 14-4. The run started with a kill by Macy Shreffler and continued by two kills from Jimenez back-to-back. This was followed by a black by Asencio Soriano. Northwestern continued to control the set holding a 19-9 lead before extending it to 21-10 on a kill by Jimenez assisted by Lobb for their largest lead of the set. Northwestern closed out the set win on a kill by Erika Asencio Soriano keeping the double digit lead with a final 25-15. This set up a 2-0 match lead over Arkansas Monticello.

SET THREE:

Much like the second set Northwestern dominated the set from the start. After a 4-0 start to set two, Northwestern upped that one with a 7-0 start. Arkansas Monticello had five errors to open the set before back to back service aces by Cameron Lobb. After the run was ended Northwestern made sure not to let Arkansas Monticello back in it as a kill by Asencio Soriano and Carmae Jones kept the lead at 9-2. Jimenez continued with a block and kill from Blackwood pushing the lead to double digits at 13-2. The Rangers continued to push the pressure on Arkansas Monticello as kills by Shreffler and Jimenez pushed the lead to 16-5. Another Cameron Lobb service ace gave the Rangers their largest lead of the set at 20-8, before Arkansas Monticello had two straight to make it 22-13. Northwestern closed out the set and the sweep over Arkansas Monticello on a kill by Jimenez for the 25-13 set victory.

The Rangers will return to action again on October 26th on the road against Oklahoma Baptist with a scheduled start time of 6:00 PM versus the Bison.

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