SENATOBIA – The #16 Northwest Mississippi Community College volleyball team (39-0, 10-0) left no doubt on Sunday afternoon about who the top team from Region 23 was this season, taking down #24 Pearl River Community College (26-7, 8-2) in straight sets, 25-14, 25-13, 25-18 at Howard Coliseum, punching a ticket to the Gulf South District Championship next week in the process.
"It just feels great," sophomore Adalyn Callahan said. "Coming into this year, knowing that we were good, we were so excited. So just coming and winning, and showing up the way that we did, it's a surreal feeling."
Every Ranger contributed to a kill either by setting or hitting in one of the most consistent matches Northwest has played this season, both from a defensive and offensive perspective.
"I was very proud of how balanced we stayed," Head Coach Allison Burchyett, who was also named the Region 23 Coach of the Year after the match, said. "Obviously we have a lot of weapons, but the setters did a really good job of utilizing them. Front row, back row, from the service line, we were scoring points, so I'm very proud of how we played.
It was truly a team win for the Rangers, and both Callahan and Burchyett said that whether it's the players on the court or the support from the bench, everyone has been completely invested since day one.
"We can't do it without our bench," Burchyett said. "The energy and the hype they bring in matches and even in practice to get to where we need to be, it is one through 16, and even more when you add in the managers and Coach David Culver. It's a team effort and a team win today."
"They always are going to be excited," Callahan added. "Coming into this tournament, they said this is the most excited they have been. Any time we are off the court, we are coming up with cheers. We have spent weeks practicing our cheers and coming into this week, we even had new cheers for the tournament. Our bench shows out even if they aren't actively playing on the court."
The win was one that has been on the mind of the Rangers all season long and was something they have all been wanting since the start of the season, but it also isn't the end goal, as the Rangers are still eyeing the ultimate prize of a trip to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for the NJCAA Division II National Tournament beginning on November 18th.
Northwest opened the night emphatically with an 11-1 surge out of the gate in the opening set, keyed by strong service runs from Reese McIntosh and Ariana Woods that included four aces between the duo.
"I think we all felt very calm knowing that Reese was back there serving, because Reese is probably our strongest server, and whenever she is back there, we can trust her to get it over and in, and a good bit of the time she gets an ace," Callahan said.
Meanwhile, the Wildcats wouldn't put together more than three total points in a row in the opening set as the Rangers used the opening burst to take the first set 25-14.
The early success was imitated on another long service run from Callahan to open the second set that gave the Rangers a 3-0 edge, but this time it wouldn't balloon as it did in the first. Pearl River answered with a run to close the gap to one three times at 4-3, 5-4, and 6-5, but Sofia Gonzalez led a run with the help of a kill from Valerie Hurdle to get separation at 9-5.
From there, the closest the Wildcats would get was three points, and even that was only accomplished a few times thanks to another run from McIntosh to extend the lead to double digits at 20-9 after eight straight points, icing the set on the way to the 25-13 win and a 2-0 lead in the match.
"I don't think we were ever really concerned we were going to drop a set," Callahan said. "We knew that that is the game of volleyball. You are going to win some points, you are going to lose some points. Starting out a little slow is fine, but you have to fight through it."
Pearl River took the opening lead of the third set with their backs against the wall. It was a short-lived 1-0 advantage, though, and Northwest answered by pushing ahead on service runs by McIntosh and Dallas White, going up 8-3.
The set would linger in that five-point range for most of the way, but Pearl River wasn't done, going on a late charge that trimmed the gap back to 20-18 after a string of three straight service errors by Northwest.
A timeout by the Burchyett did the trick, though, and the Wildcats wouldn't score again as Callahan closed the door on her run with a pair of aces for points 23 and 24, before Hurdle would finish the job with a kill to close the match.
"Coach called the timeout and just told us it was five points until we dogpile, and to look forward to that and just keep playing our game. We had won two sets, and just had to continue doing it," Callahan said.
Northwest was able to benefit from a balanced attack that saw every player on the court get a kill other than White, led by 11 from Gonzalez, who did so without making a single error on 20 attempts.
Hurdle. Added eight more, and Woods picked up six, with no one else having more than 2.
Chloe Rodriguez led the team in assists with 15 in the match, and White stacked on nine more. Another five were shared by Callahan and Gonzalez.
The serving game was on point for the Rangers all night, with 13 aces in the match, five of which came from McIntosh, who was one off a career best. Three more were made by Woods and another two from Callahan, and one each from White and Gonzalez.
On the defensive side, Northwest only had to pick up 36 digs in the back row, and it was Jania Rose who led the way with 12. Callahan added another nine, and McIntosh finished with seven. The blocking was paced by Talley Taylor, who finished with three block assists, followed by Kylee Garcia and Rodriguez, who both had two.
The win sets up a big showdown on November 8, when the Rangers will host Lurleen B. Wallace Community College (33-2), who are coming out of Alabama after winning the ACCC title over Wallace State Community College-Hanceville in five sets.
"I'm excited to bring Alabama to us," Burchyett said. "Mississippi has had to go there the last two years, so I am looking forward to defending our home state here for the chance to go to nationals. We talked from day one about, wouldn't it be cool to have a chance to get there, to have that opportunity and roll the dice once we get there. It would be monumental for our program and for the state of Mississippi."
The winner of the Gulf South District will earn an auto-bid into the NJCAA National Tournament, which begins on November 18 in Cedar Rapids. If the Rangers were to win the title, they would become the first team from Mississippi to ever compete for the national title.
"To be the first team from Mississippi just means more," Callahan said. "We want it so bad, and we want to prove that Mississippi is growing in volleyball, and it's not just all these other states that are good at volleyball. We are too, so it just means more to us."
Be sure to keep up with Northwest volleyball news and scheduling updates at nwccrangers.com, or you can follow along on Ranger social media accounts.
