ALVA, OKLAHOMA - Northwestern Oklahoma State Volleyball hosted the McPHerson College Bulldogs Tuesday evening. The Rangers had the final non-conference matchup of the season. After going down 2-0 in the match the Rangers evened the match at 2-2 before the Bulldogs took set five over the Rangers.
The Rangers were led by Erika Asencio Soriano in kills with 14 along with Ece Ozdemir with double digit kills with 13. London Hilton led the team with 22 assists in the match followed by Mikayla White with 16. Brianda Diaz finished the match with 30 digs.
The match opened with the two teams battling back and forth as Luisina Sandron opened the scoring with a kill for the Bulldogs before the Rangers grabbed two straight points from Ozdemir for the 2-1 lead. There were then eight ties as the teams traded points going to 11-1 as seven different Rangers had kills to open the set with Ascencio Soriano having two. The Rangers followed the 11-11 tie with a 6-2 run started by a block from White and Mariela Jimenez as the Rangers opened the scoring to 17-13 lead over the Bulldogs. However the visitors stormed back with an 11-1 which included an 8-0 run to take a 23-18 lead over the Rangers. McPherson closed out the set win by a final of 25-19 over the Rangers to take the 1-0 match lead.
McPherson, looking to keep the momentum, started the second set with the first three points after a block, service ace, and a kill had 3-0 lead over the Rangers. Ozdemir had the first Ranger point of the set from a kill. Northwestern continued to battle and came back within one four different times but the Bulldogs kept answering. It was 13-13 following a service ace from Ozdemir that had the Rangers back even before a kill from Ivanny Blackwood pushed the Rangers in front for the first time of set two. McPherson answered though with a 3-0 run to grab a 16-14 lead back before the Rangers even the set at 17-17. McPherson went for four straight points to take a 20-17 lead following a block and three kills. With the Rangers down 21-19 a block by White, Jimenez, and Ozdemir and a kill by Jimenez had even the set 21-21. However McPherson then scored the next four points of the set to win set two 25-21 over the Rangers, taking a 2-0 match lead.
The Rangers down 2-0 looking to extend the match gave up the first two points of the set before gaining the lead after an attack error led to two kills by Ascencio Soriano assisted by Hilton. The Rangers, continuing to gain separation, built a 6-3 lead before back to back blocks by Ivanny Blackwood had the Rangers in front 12-6. The team traded points for a while as the Rangers continued to hold at least a five point advantage before a 6-0 run led by Ozemir and Ascencio Soriano as the Rangers pushed the set lead to double digits at 23-13 after a kill from Ozdemir. Northwestern closed out the set win 25-15 over the Bulldogs to cut the match deficit to 2-1.
Set four was a thrilling set that needed more than 25 to win. McPherson jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the set once again following two kills and a Ranger error. Carmae Jones put the Rangers on the board with a kill assisted by London for a 3-1 deficit. Northwestern battled back to even the set at 5-5 following a service ace from Mariela Jimenez. Ivanny Blackwood then fired off a kill through the Bulldogs defense for a 6-5 lead. Northwestern pushed the lead to 10-6 following a block by Ozemir before McPherson came back to tie the set at 12-12 and build a 14-12 lead after two Ranger errors. McPherson continued their run taking a 19-15 lead, and then a 20-16 lead following a service ace. However the Rangers were not done as a Bulldog error helped spark a Rangers comeback as a 7-3 Northwestern run brought the score to even at 24-24 following a kill by Asencio Soriano. The set then featured six different lead changes / ties before at 30-30 a kill by Ozge Yavuz sealed the set two Ranger victory 32-30 and evening the match at 2-2.
Erika Asencio Soriano started set five with a kill assisted from Hilton giving the Rangers a 1-0 lead but the Bulldogs scored three straight for the 3-1 lead leading to a Ranger timeout. McPherson then went to a 10-4 lead from a 6-1 run. The Rangers closed the gap to two forcing the Bulldogs into a timeout at 13-11 following a kill by Ozge Yavuz. However the comeback fell short as McPherson took a 15-11 win in set five to win the match 3-2 over the Rangers.
Northwestern Volleyball will return to action on Thursday evening traveling to Ada, Oklahoma for a conference match against the East Central Tigers.
