PITTSBURG, KANSAS - The Rangers return to action for the first time since closing out their opening weekend tournament. The Rangers faced #11 Southwest Minnesota St and Pittsburg State which was the host site. Northwestern fell in both matches, the first one at 3-0 followed by 3-1 in the nightcap. 

MATCH 1: 

In the opening set the Mustangs jumped out to a 4-0 lead before a kill by Abby Williams put the Rangers on the board as they trailed 4-1. Southwest Minnesota St. continued to lead, opening a 10-4 lead over the Rangers. Northwestern got as close as six at 16-10 before the Mustangs went on a 9-0 run to win the first set 25-10.

In the second set the Rangers went back and forth with the Mustangs as the score was locked at 3-3 before Northwestern went on a small run. The game was then tied at 13-13 followed by a kill by Abby Williams. The two teams continued to trade points as the score was then 20-20 later in the second set. A block by Carmae Jones gave the Rangers a slight 21-20 advantage before the game was tied at 22-22 by a block by Ivanny Blackwood. However the Mustangs closed the set on a 3-0 run to win 25-22 and take a 2-0 match lead. 

Ece Ozdemir gave the Rangers an early 1-0 lead in set three. The set was later tied at 5-5 before the Mustangs jumped out to a 9-5 lead. A block by Abby Williams and Carmae Jones cut the deficit to two at 9-7. The Mustangs maintained that two point lead to 11-9 before going on a small run opening a five point lead at 16-11. The lead later grew to 20-14 at six before the #11 team Southwest Minnesota St closed the set out with a 25-18 victory and won the match 3-0. 

MATCH 2:

The Rangers opened the second match with an exciting first set winning 25-22. The match started with the Rangers winning the opening point following a kill by Macy Shreffler which was assisted by Cameron Lobb. The set stayed even from there trading points through 8-8 before the Rangers got two straight on a kill by Erika Asencio Soriano to open a 10-8 lead in the set. The Gorillas answered back, tying the score at 10 and even taking a 12-10 lead for four straight points. Pitt St maintained a little lead extending it to 18-14. Rangers stormed back though following back to back kills by Mariela Jimenez and Erika Asencio Soriano to tie the score at 18-18. With the set tied at 20-20 Northwestern scored three straight points on kills by Carmae Jones and Erika Asencio Soriano. A kill by Asencio Soriano assisted by Abby Davis sealed the set one victory for a 1-0 Ranger lead. 

In set two Pittsburg St jumped out first with a 1-0 lead. The teams went back and forth staying even with a 9-9 score. Rangers then took a 12-10 lead following a kill by Jones and maintained a two point distance until Pittsburg St tied the set at 14-14 following a service ace. The Gorillas went on a 7-0 run taking a 20-14 lead over the Rangers before closing out the set at 25-17 to tie the match at 1-1. 

As the Rangers looked to answer back in the third set Pittsburg St grabbed the first point before Jimenez strike for a kill starting a 5-0 run taking a 5-1 lead over the Gorillas. Following a timeout Pittsburg St took four straight points to tie the set at 5-5. Teams traded points until 10-10 as PSU went on a 5-0 run to open a 15-10 lead. The deficit for the Rangers grew to 18-11 as the seven points was the largest in the set. The Rangers answered back getting as close as one multiple times including at 22-21 before the host team closed out the set win at 25-22 over the Rangers for a 2-1 match lead. 

In the fourth set as Pittsburg St looked to close out the match the host jumped out to a 3-0 lead. A kill by Asencio Soriano put the Rangers on the board as the Rangers got back within one at 4-3 before the Gorillas scored again. However the Rangers tied the set at 5-5, as it stayed tied until 9-9 following a kill by Erika Asencio Soriano as the Rangers continued their run taking a 12-9 lead to complete a 6-0 run. Rangers led until the score got tied at 16-16. The teams went back and forth through point 21-21 as that was the last time it was tied. Pittsburg State closed out the win at 25-22 and a match win of 3-1. 

Northwestern will be back in action on Saturday morning at 11:30 AM against Arkansas Fort Smith and 4:30 PM against Drury University.