WEATHERFORD, OKLAHOMA - The Ranger Volleyball team closed out the final road regular season match on Tuesday evening against rival Southwestern Oklahoma State in Weatherford. After winning the opening set of the match Southwestern Oklahoma State struck for three straight taking the match 3-1 over the Rangers.
Northwestern falls to 13-14 on the season with a 7-8 conference record. While Southwestern Oklahoma State improves to 19-7 with a 14-1 conference record.
Rangers were led by Mariela Jimenez with 15 kills followed by Erika Ascencio Soriano with 13 kills and Ivanny Blackwood with 11. Hennesys Lalane had 36 assists with Ascencio Soriano having 18 digs.
Northwestern was first to score with a kill by Jimenez before the teams traded points creating five tie scorers three 5-5 before Southwestern went with four straight points taking a 10-6 lead over the Rangers. The Rangers though followed with a run following a kill by Lalane sparking a 6-1 run to comeback and tie the score at 12-12 as a block by Blackwood evened the score. After the set was tied 13-13 the Rangers fired off six of the next seven points started by Lalane kill. Asencio Soriano had a service ace followed by a block with Ece Ozdemir and Blackwood taking a 16-14 lead. The run pushed the Rangers lead to 18-14, after a single Southwestern point Northwestern continued to push in front getting the lead to 21-16. Northwestern fired off the final four points of the set on blacks by Jimenez and Ascencio Soriano as the Rangers closed out the set victory with a score of 25-17, and a 1-0 match lead.
The Rangers carried the momentum into the second set as Jimenez started the scoring with a kill. Northwestern answered a Bulldogs point with a 5-1 run as Northwestern jumped out to an early 6-2 set lead. Southwestern though answered by scoring six straight points to steal the lead and take a 8-6 lead over the Rangers. A kill from Carmae Jones ended the run and Northwestern trailed by one at 11-10. Southwestern then went on a 6-0 run pushing their lead back to seven at 18-11. The home team extended their lead to 23-14 before closing out the 25-16 set victory to even the match at 1-1.
Southwestern Oklahoma State opened set three with two straight points on a block for a 2-0 lead. The Rangers then answered back with four straight points started by a Jimenez before three straight more kills. Rangers led 4-2 before extending the lead to 7-4. Southwestern answered back with five straight points, stealing the lead taking a 9-7 lead over the Rangers. Southwestern pushed the lead to 12-8 over the Rangers. Southwestern then held a 19-14 lead off a kill from Zoey Sparks. Southwestern continued to extend the lead over the Rangers with a 21-16 lead before closing out the 25-18 victory over the Rangers and a 2-1 match lead.
In the fourth set the Bulldogs jumped out early first to a 3-0 lead before a 6-1 Southwestern lead after a service error. Rangers made a run with four straight points on a kill by Ozdemir, with two more kills one by Ozdemir for a 7-6 trailing. Southwestern then went on a 5-1 run to extend the lead to 12-7 over the Rangers. Northwestern closed the gap to 12-10 and 14-12. Northwestern then trailed 19-17 following back to back kills by Jimenez. Southwestern then answered with an 8-0 run to win the set 25-17 and a 3-1 match victory over the Rangers.
The Rangers close the regular season out with a Thursday match against Oklahoma Baptist for senior day in Percefull Fieldhouse with start time 6:00 PM.
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