ALVA, OKLAHOMA - Ranger Volleyball played the first of a back-to-back on Thursday evening starting the three game homestand. The Rangers fell 3-2 in the match overall after dropping the fifth set 15-13 to the Ouachita Baptist Tigers.
With the loss the Rangers fall to 11-10 on the season with a 5-5 conference record while Ouachita Baptist improves to 15-7 on the season with an 6-4 record in GAC play.
The Rangers were led by Erika Asencio Soriano in kills with 17 followed by Carmae Jones and Ivanny Blackwood with nine each. Jones led the team with six blocks as well. Mikayla White had a team high 39 assists with Brianda Diaz leading the team with 20 digs.
The opening set started off with back-to-back points for the Rangers after Blackwood fired off a kill to open the match followed by a Tiger error. Ouachita Baptist scored the next two evening the set at 2-2. The first set featured 11 ties overall. After a 6-5 Ranger lead the Tigers scored three straight before Northwestern answered with three straight starts by a kill by Erika Asencio Soriano taking a 9-8 lead overall. Ouachita tied the set at 11 and 12 before the Rangers had the largest run with 11 straight points started by a Brianda Diaz kill and a run that included three blocks and closed off by a service ace by Mariela Jimenez forcing the Tigers into a timeout. Out of the time out the Rangers scored three more to open a double-digit lead at 23-13 before two Carmae Jones kills closed out the set victory 25-19 over the Tigers.
In the second set Ouachita Baptist was the first to strike with two straight points before a block by Ivanny Blackwood put the Rangers on the board. However, the Tigers then scored five straight points to take a 7-1 lead over the Rangers. Erika Asencio Soriano ended their run with a kill. As the Rangers tried to climb back in the set the Tigers continued to keep the Rangers away after building a 9-4 lead. Ouachita scored four straight taking a 13-5 lead after two blocks and eventually building a double-digit lead like the Rangers in set one at 16-6 after three straight kills. The Tigers held the double-digit lead after a kill by Emily Adams had the Tigers in front 20-8. Ouachita Baptist the visitors closed out their first set win of the match with a final of 25-13 to even the match at 1-1.
Macy Shreffler started the third set with back-to-back kills as the Rangers jumped out in front 2-0 in the set. Shreffler answered a Tigers point with her third straight kill for the Rangers. The Tigers climbed back to tie the set at 4-4 before Northwestern like the first set went on a big run in the middle of the set as a kill by Asencio Soriano started the run with two straight kills that was followed by two blocks and then two Carmae Jones kills as the Rangers led 11-4 in set three. Ouachita Baptist trying their best to climb back rattled off four straight points as they cut the Ranger led to 11-8. Block by Ivanny Blackwood kept the Rangers out in front. Every Tigers run in the third set the Rangers had an answer as after three straight Carmae Jones and Macy Shreffler answered with kills keeping the four-point advantage. After a mini-Tigers run the Rangers extended the lead to 19-13 after a block by Mariela Jimenez. Ouachita Baptist was able to climb back to tie the set at 20-20 but a kill by Erika Asencio Soriano and a block had the Rangers up 22-20. Blackwood finished off the set with a kill as the Rangers took a 2-1 match lead over the Tigers following the 25-23 set win.
Ouachita Baptist looking to extend the match to a fifth set jumped out early to a 4-0 set lead after a service ace. Northwestern picked up a point before another 4-0 run by the Tigers taking an 8-1 lead in the fourth set. Rangers grabbed two points before the Tigers extended the lead to 11-3. Rangers slowly chipping back into the deficit bring the set back within four after an attack error. Ouachita Baptist though after the Rangers made it a 19-15 set the Tigers scored five of the next six to build a 22-15 lead. Ouachita closed out the 25-17 set victory over the Rangers forcing the match to go the distance for the fifth set.
Ece Ozdemir, trying to spark a Rangers run, opened the fifth set with back-to-back kills taking the early 2-0 lead. The Rangers built a 4-1 lead before an Ouachita Baptist Tigers timeout following a blast from Erika Asencio Soriano. However, out of the timeout the Tigers were able to strike for nine straight points, stealing the Rangers lead and building a 10-4 advantage over Northwestern following three kills and four Ranger errors. Northwestern though did not go down quietly following the Tigers run with a 7-0 run over the Tiger started by a Jones kill. The Rangers built a 12-11 advantage following the run on a kill by Ivanny Blackwood. Ouachita Baptist finished the fifth set with four of the last five points to steal the match 3-2 following the 15-13 set five win.
Northwestern Oklahoma State will be back in action on Friday afternoon against the Henderson State Reddies. The start time for the match is scheduled for 4:00 PM.
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