SENATOBIA – The #23 Northwest Mississippi Community College volleyball team picked up their 24th victory of the season, remaining perfect on the year with a sweep of East Central Community College (2-9, 1-3) on Wednesday night, taking down the Warriors 25-9, 25-14, 25-14, keeping the momentum rolling into what will be a big weekend for the team at their final tournament action of the season.
"I think we played good," sophomore Ariana Woods said. "Our serving was a little half and half, and we made more errors than we'd like, but I think we still played a great game. I think it's good as a team that we are able to still play up even when our opponents may not be at the same skill level."
The Rangers came out swinging against the Warriors, getting off to a 6-0 start with Reese McIntosh leading the way on the opening service run, and keeping it rolling to a 10-1 lead on the serve of Woods.
That set the tone for the opening set, and the Rangers finished it off by stacking up 11 kills to just one error, hitting .385 in the set and adding three blocks and three aces along the way for 17 of their 25 points in the 25-9 win.
Woods picked up four kills in the set, leading to her breaking the career kills mark, set in 2023 by Jacia Hayes at 533. Woods would finish the match with 11 kills, setting the new mark at 541 and counting, with at least 12 matches remaining in the regular season for the Rangers.
The record is one that Woods has been chasing all year, and she said it is only possible because of the teammates around her.
"I do owe it to all my teammates, our setters and passers," she said. "I wouldn't have any of the stats I do without them. As someone who really loves the sport and wants to be a leader, I'm glad I can represent that in both the stats and off the court."
After a brief moment was taken to honor the sophomore, the match resumed, and the Warriors came out with a bit more grit, staying within one point and even taking the lead early on the way to a 5-5 tie. The Rangers picked up their first lead on a Talley Taylor kill and extended it to 8-5 on a service run by Jania Rose.
"We are always rising up to the occasion," Woods said of the team's ability to turn it on at any moment. "Our opponents can play their best game, and we will play even better. That's why we are undefeated, and it's something we plan on continuing to do."
That lead would grow to ten at 20-10 after a steady pace was set by the Rangers, who only committed one error in the set on their attacks for a second time in the match, hitting over .500 in the set with 16 kills as a team on the way to a 25-14 victory and a 2-0 lead in the match.
The story was very similar in the third set, with a three-point run from the Warriors putting them in front at 3-2, and the lead growing to two, and remaining there at 7-5 before a six-point run from Laney Wier settled down the Northwest offense and returned the lead at 11-7, aided by a pair of blocks from Northwest and a kill from Valerie Hurdle to cap the rally.
East Central didn't fall back completely, staying within two to three points for much of the set, but after going up 16-13, the Rangers saw the reliable serve of McIntosh once more lead a surge that extended the lead to 21-13 before a four-point run from Wier finished the set with a 25-14 victory for the Rangers and their 22nd sweep of the year.
The Rangers were able to empty their bench in the final set, leading to plenty of chances for the younger players, and as a sophomore, Woods said that is one of her favorite things to see.
"I love seeing all of the girls getting a chance to play on the court," she said. "I know it's special, and I love seeing it because they are going to be the leaders on the team next year."
In a night where everyone on the offense ate, Woods was the leader of the team, finishing with 15 total points, including 11 kills and six blocks, with two of them solo efforts. She had a .556 hitting percentage on the night with just one error and added four digs.
Sofia Gonzalez added another eight kills with just one error for a .583 hitting percentage, and nine other Rangers finished with at least one kill. As a team, the Rangers hit .403, with 37 kills to only six errors.
Both Chloe Rodriguez and Dallas White had 16 assists each, and both also registered one kill each.
In the serving game, Northwest had six aces while they only saw one ace from the Warriors through the match.
At the net, Woods was joined in a fantastic blocking night with three block assists from Sofia Gonzalez, two each from Rodriguez and Taylor, and another one added in from Payton Davis.
Northwest will head out onto the road for tournament action this weekend when they will face off against #18 Lurleen B. Wallace Community College (17-1) and Enterprise State Community College (17-5) at the Alabama Gulf Coast Classic on Friday and Saturday. They will also take on Bishop State Community College and Snead State Community College in the tournament.
"This is a big weekend for us," Woods said. "It's a big chance to see where we are weak. Lurleen B. Wallace is 17-1, so they have been having a great season, so I think that motivates us to play up every time we get on the court and just remember that our record is nice, but it doesn't matter. Playoffs are all that matter at the end of the day."
Keep up with the Northwest volleyball team and all sports at nwccrangers.com or by following along on Ranger social media accounts.
