ALVA, OKLAHOMA - Northwestern Oklahoma State Volleyball played Southern Nazarene in a conference matchup Monday evening. The Rangers fell in the first set before answering with a win in the second set but the Crimson Storm took the road victory following back to back set wins.
The Rangers fell to 13-12 on the season with a 7-6 conference record. Southern Nazarene improves to 5-8 on the season in conference and 9-17 overall.
Northwestern led by Erika Asencio Soriano with 15 kills followed by Ece Ozdemir with nine. Mariela Jimenez led the team with four blocks, Henneys Lalane had 30 kills, and Brianda Diaz with 16 digs.
Southern Nazarene jumped out early in the first set with the first two points on back to back kills before Ascencio Soriano put the Rangers on the board. The Rangers tied the score at 3-3 and later 6-6 as a back and forth set continued. The Rangers took the lead following a kill from Ivanny Blackwood followed by a block by Blackwood for a 9-7 lead, the first of the set for the Rangers. The Rangers maintained the lead at 12-9 following back to back kills, before Southern Nazarene climbed back to tie the set at 15-15 after a service ace. After an 18-18 tied set the visitors scored two straight taking a 20-18. Southern Nazarene lost the lead after three straight on a kill by Jimenez followed by a service ace from Ozdemir. With the Rangers leading 23-22, Southern Nazarene came back to steal the set at 25-23 taking the 1-0 match lead.
In the second set the Rangers were the first to score on kills by Lalane and Blackwood. The set then featured eight ties between the two programs before it was locked at 9-9 as the Rangers then scored three straight points started by a Southern Nazarene error leading to a Blackwood kill for an 11-9 Ranger lead. The Rangers continued to gain control pushing the lead to 15-11 following kills and a service ace before Southern Nazarene answered with four straight points to tie the set at 15-15. The Rangers then got a kill by Carmae Jones to push the Rangers back in front at 16-15 before going in front 19-16. The Rangers continued to hold the lead into the late point of the set as the Crimson Storm tied the second set at 21-21. The Rangers then sparked by a kill by Blackwood started a 4-0 run as the Rangers closed out the set victory 25-21 over Southern Nazarene to even the set 1-1.
Southern Nazarene jumped out early in set three grabbing the 1-0 lead on a kill by Kate Wright before after a tie at 2-2, led to a 6-0 Southern Nazarene lead after three kills and an attack error helped the Crimson Storm take a 8-2 lead. Northwestern, looking to climb back, scored four of the next five points to get back within three at 9-6 following a kill by Asencio Soriano and a Storm service error. The Rangers got as close as two at 11-9 from a kill by Ascencio Soriano, but Southern Nazarene pushed their lead back to nine following a 6-1 run to take a 20-11 lead over the Rangers. The Crimson Storm closed out the set victory at 25-17 over the Rangers following a kill by Riley Richardson, as Southern Nazarene took a 2-1 match lead.
After the Crimson Storm opened the fourth set with a service ace, Northwestern scored the next three straight on two blocks and a kill for a 3-1 lead. After three ties and lead changes the set was tied at 7-7 before an 8-0 run started by a kill and two service helped build the 15-7 Southern Nazarene lead over the Rangers. The Rangers then went on a 5-1 run to cut the deficit down to six but Southern Nazarene kept answering. The Crimson Storm closed out the set victory 25-15 over the Rangers and a 3-1 road match victory.
The Rangers will travel to Durant, Oklahoma on Thursday evening for a matchup against Southeastern Oklahoma State for one of the final three matches of the season.
For the latest news and updates on NWOSU Athletics, follow @NWOSUAthletics on TWITTER or visit www.riderangersride.com.
