SWOSU gains rivalry victory against NWOSU

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  • SWOSU’s volleyball team beat rival Northwestern Oklahoma State Friday in four sets. Provided
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On a Friday night which featured SWOSU volleyball feeding off the lively crowd, the Bulldogs picked up a 3-1 rivalry victory against Northwestern Oklahoma State.

The loss is the Rangers’ first in GAC play, while the Bulldogs remain unbeaten at home.

The win moves SWOSU to 3-2 in league play and they’ll get to play their next three matches in Weatherford including two conference games next week.

The tone was set early Friday. SWOSU scored the match’s first four points and went on to win the opening set 25-22 behind a combined 17 kills from Zoey Sparks, 7, and Lacy Mott, 5.

After a dropping the second set SWOSU responded with a 25-12 third set win to regain the match lead.

In that third set, the Bulldog defense held Northwestern Oklahoma State to a negative hitting percentage and racked up six total blocks on balls. Meanwhile six different players produced kills on offense including four more from Mott.

The Rangers were ahead 12-7 in the fourth set before SWOSU’s Lauren DeSantiago had a strong serving series and helped rally the margin back in the home team’s favor.

SWOSU scored eight consecutive points which included an ace from DeSantiago, a pair of Mott kills, and multiple errors from the Ranger attack.

After SWOSU took a 15-12 lead, the Bulldogs were able to lead throughout. Northwestern Oklahoma State cut the SWOSU lead to 21-20, but four out of the next six points were scorfed by SWOSU to end it.

Reigning AVCA National Player of the Week Addison Wimmer produced a game high 20 kills for the Rangers on the night but was held to a .140 hitting percentage. Northwestern as a team hit .131 collectively.

The Bulldogs finished at .194 as a team and increased their hitting percentage in every set they played, including a .333 fourth set.

Mott led the offense with 18 kills and had a double-double with 17 digs. Middles Samantha Kuzma, 11, and Sparks, 15, combined for 26 kills and nearly 10 total blocks. Carmen Kinsey also had an impact at the net. She finished with six blocks.