Box Score DECATUR – Thanks to a pair of first half goals from Cheyenne Smith and a career-high 19 saves from Angel Hailey, the Lady Rangers earned their second north division victory with a narrow 3-2 win over East Central on Friday afternoon.

With the win, Northwest improved to 2-3 in the division and 4-7-1 overall, keeping its playoff hopes alive.

Smith netted the first of two goals off a booming kick from 25 yards out just 12 minutes into the match, then followed with a goal from a free kick in the 42nd minute, both unassisted.

Just before the end of the first half, however, East Central sliced the lead in half, as Olivia Crothers connected with Katelyn Morson to give the Lady Warriors some momentum into the break.

Neither team was able to find a goal for the majority of the second half, until freshman Summer Sherrod netted her first career goal in the 77th minute to push the Lady Rangers' advantage to 3-1.

East Central would keep Northwest on the ropes for the rest of regulation though, as Noel Ross found Macey Spencer on a corner kick in the 79th minute to keep things close until the final horn.

Northwest was outshot 33-8 on the day, but Hailey held strong in between the posts and tallied double-digit saves for the eighth time this season.

Northwest will host Itawamba (8-3-1, 4-2 north) in another pivotal division match on Tuesday, Oct. 9 at 1 p.m. The Lady Rangers will aim to split the season series with ICC, who clinched a playoff berth with last Friday's victory at Hinds.

Live stats for the match will be available through nwccrangers.com.