RUSSELLVILLE, ARKANSAS - Northwestern Oklahoma State traveled to Russellville Arkansas for the first of two games in Arkansas this week. Arkansas Tech took the match 3-1 over the Rangers after opening the match with a set victory.
The loss drops the Rangers to 11-8 on the season with a 5-3 conference record as Arkansas Tech improves to 10-10 on the year and a 4-4 conference record.
The Rangers in the match were led by Erika Ascencio Soriano and Carmae Jones with nine kills in the match with Jones having seven. Carmae Jones led the team with six blocks along with Mariela Jimenez. Mikayla White had 17 assists with Brianda Diaz having nine digs.
The opening set Arkansas Tech jumped out of the start fast with three straight points before opening a 7-1 lead over the Rangers in the early going on a block, four kills and couple of Ranger errors. Carmae Jones earned the first kill for the Rangers as Northwestern looked to climb back into the set bringing the deficit back down to four at 11-7 following a block solo by Carmae Jones. Arkansas Tech stopped the Rangers run with three straight points of their own to build the lead back to 18-11. Carmae Jones, Mariela Jimenez and Macy Shreffler all had kills as the Rangers cut the deficit to 22-16 but Arkansas Tech scored the last three to take the first set 25-16 to take a 1-0 match lead.
Rangers looking to even the match had a service ace from Brianda Diaz taking the early 1-0 lead. Arkansas Tech tied it at 1-1 off a block before the Rangers took the lead at 4-2. Arkansas Tech answered with four straight taking a 6-4 lead. However the Rangers capitalized on a run as Northwestern tied it on a block by Asencio Soriano and Carmae Jones. The Rangers run continued as Mariela Jimenez had a service ace as Northwestern took a 9-6 lead over Arkansas Tech. Northwestern's run was extended to 10-0 following a block by London Hilton, and Carmae Jones as the Rangers extended the lead to 14-6. Arkansas Tech sparked a run climbing back within three at 20-17. Jimenez had the Rangers back on the board ending the Arkansas Tech run before a service ace followed by two Ascencio Soriano kills giving the Rangers a 25-18 set two victory evening the match at 1-1.
Ece Ozdemir started the third set off with a kill giving the Rangers the early lead but Arkansas Tech responded with four straight taking the 4-1 lead. Northwestern came back to tie the set at 5-5. The two teams continued to battle with three other ties. After an 11-11 score Arkansas Tech scored two straight taking a 13-11 lead. The Golden Suns would not lose the lead again in the set after two kills and two service aces extending the lead to 17-13. Arkansas Tech pushed their lead to 20-14 before closing out the 25-16 victory over the Rangers and a 2-1 match lead.
The fourth set of the match went to Arkansas Tech early as the home team fired off 10 straight points to start the set after five kills and four service aces. Arkansas Tech maintained the lead after the Rangers jumped out the board after a couple of Arkansas Tech errors had the Rangers down 13-6. The Golden Suns pushed their lead back to double digits at 20-10. The home team closed out the 25-17 set victory over the Rangers to secure the match win 3-1 over the Rangers.
Northwestern returns to action on Friday afternoon against Harding University with the match scheduled to start at 4:00 PM.
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