Northwestern Oklahoma State University

ALVA, Okla. - The Northwestern Oklahoma State women's volleyball team won their conference opener over East Central, 3-1, on Tuesday night.

The first saw multiple lead changes in the early going as both teams fought for the lead. Three consecutive points from Ivanny Blackwood sparked a run for the Rangers to put them ahead 17-14. The Tigers rallied back to take set one 28-26. Ivanny Blackwood lead the way for Northwestern in the set with six points to her credit.

Tess de Zanet powered Northwestern through the early going of set two, accounting for three of the Rangers first nine points. East Central tied things up at 10, but Northwestern pulled away with a 9-7 run. The Tigers clawed back to take a brief lead but three straight points by the Rangers including a kill by de Zanet put Northwestern back in the lead 22-20. Northwestern fought off a late Tiger surge to win set two and even the match at 1-1.

Northwestern got down early in set three but stayed with East Central throughout the set, and took a 25-24 lead in the late stages. The Rangers capitalized on the home crowd energy to grab the win in the third set 30-28.

Set four went the way of East Central for the majority of the set but Northwestern would not go down without a fight, as the Rangers battled back into the set to tie it at 22. The Rangers took the lead on a de Zanet kill who seconds later would win the set and match for Northwestern.

The Rangers will be back in action on Friday when they take on William Jewell in the Rosella Meier UNK Fall Classic.

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