POPLARVILLE - Aside from a strong showing from Itawamba in the second set, Northwest carried the momentum through the majority of the match, as the Lady Rangers defeated the Lady Indians by a 3-1 final in Friday's Region 23 semifinals.
Northwest took the first set, 25-16, only for the Lady Indians to tie the match with a second set victory. Despite a big lead late for Itawamba, Northwest was able to rally from a 22-16 hole to tie the set at 22 apiece.
That comeback helped the Lady Rangers regain the momentum the rest of the way, as Northwest never trailed in the third or fourth sets. The win helped send the Lady Rangers back to the Region 23 Championship match for the second consecutive season.
Cristen Cleveland had an unbelievable 19 kills in the victory, while
Jacia Hayes followed with nine.
Kailey Gooch also had eight kills to help Northwest, while her and Hayes both led with three blocks apiece.
Caroline Howard added a team-high 20 digs, while
Layla Dyer led with 36 assists and two service aces.
With the win, Northwest will face Pearl River in Saturday's championship match. The two teams faced off for the title last season and both teams split the regular season meetings. The winner advances to the NJCAA Gulf District Tournament next weekend in Mobile, while the losing team will see its season come to an end.
First serve is set for 4 P.M. in Poplarville, with the broadcast carried live on
prccmedia.com/gold.Â
