SEARCY, ARKANSAS -Northwestern Oklahoma State Volleyball closed out the trip to Arkansas this week with a 3-1 loss to Harding University. The Bisons won the opening set before taking sets three and four for the match win.
The loss drops the Rangers to 11-9 on the season with a 5-4 GAC record on the season. Harding improves to 14-7 on the year with a conference record of 7-2.
Northwestern led by Mariela Jimenez with 14 kills followed by Erika Asencio Soriano with 13. Jimenez led with five blocks while Mikayla White had 26 assists and Brianda Diaz with 22 digs.
The match started with a high energy play on a big block by Jimenez and Ece Ozdemir for the 1-0 early Ranger lead. Harding took their first lead at 3-2 before rattling off five straight points for the 6-2 lead. Jimenez stopped the home team's run cutting it back down to three down 8-5 but Harding extended their lead back to following a quick run before reaching a double digit lead 17-7 after a 5-0 lead. Started by a Ece Ozdemir kill assisted by London Hilton the Rangers answered with a 5-0 run now trailing 17-12. The Bisons answered taking a 20-12 lead back over the Rangers before closing out a double digit set victory. Harding won 25-15 in the set taking a 1-0 match lead.
Set two close from the beginning following the early point from the Rangers on a black by Ivanny Blackwood and Mariela Jimenez. The set had four quick times before Harding gained a little momentum taking a 7-4 lead over the Rangers. Rangers looking to dive into the deficit down 14-10 found a spark following a kill by Ece Ozdemir. She started a 5-1 run followed by kills from Erika Asencio Soriano and two blocks both by Carmae Jones along with Erika Asencio Soriano and Mikayla White. This brought the Rangers tied 15-15. The home team though again grabbed a three point cushion at 23-20 before Northwestern led by Ece Ozdemir serves including a service ace scored the final five points. A kill by Jimenez started the rally before it was finished off by a Ascencio Soriano kill for the 25-23 set victory evening the match 1-1.
In set three Mariela Jimenez and a Harding error gave the Ranger their first lead of the set at 2-1. The two teams battled back and forth , playing to a tie 10-10 score following a Harding block.Northwestern reclaimed the lead at 12-11 before Harding scored five straight points taking a 16-13 lead. The Bisons won the set overall 25-17 taking a 2-1 match lead over the Rangers.
The fourth set the Rangers jumped out to a 4-1 lead following kills by Jimenez and a block by Jimenez and Ascencio Soriano. The Bisons then Rattled off five straight points taking a 6-4 lead over the Rangers. Harding then scored seven straight to take a 13-5 lead over the Rangers before kills by Asencio Soriano stopped the Bisons' run for a few rallies. Harding then followed with a 6-0 run taking a 22-8 lead over the Rangers before closing out the 25-12 set win and 3-1 match win over Northwestern.
The Rangers will be back home on Thursday and Friday October 24th and October 25th against Ouachita Baptist and Henderson State. The Thursday evening match starts at 6PM with Friday at 4PM.
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