Box Score
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WEATHERFORD, Okla. – A slow start nearly cost the SWOSU volleyball team in their Great American Conference opener on Thursday night against Northwestern Oklahoma State. After dropping the first set, SWOSU rebounded to win the next three and earn the 3-1 victory by scores of 23-25, 25-18, 25-22, 26-24.
Northwestern came out swinging, taking the first six points of the match before SWOSU was able to get on the board. The Bulldogs would need the entire set to close the gap, pulling to within one at 24-23 late in the set before the Rangers took the set on a kill from Paola Turibio.
The second set also started slowly for SWOSU, but the insertion of
Carly Zak into the lineup served as a spark. Zak had six kills in the set, including two very late in the set to help SWOSU put the set away and take it by a score of 25-18.
After taking the lead in the match with a third-set victory by a score of 25-22, the Bulldogs were pushed to the finish line by Northwestern Oklahoma State, who was looking for their first victory over SWOSU in volleyball.
Holding a 24-22 lead in the fourth set, it appeared NWOSU was on the verge of pushing the Bulldogs the distance and to a fifth set.
Joey Collins would have none of that, putting down a trio of monster kills to tie the match at 24-24.
Kiley Brennfoerder and
Christina Darras gave SWOSU the lead on a block and Brennfoerder slammed the door on the Rangers, blocking a back row attack into the ground for the game-winning point.
After a dreadful first set, SWOSU rebounded to hit above .200 in each of the final three sets, finishing with a .210 percentage for the match. Zak put down a team-high 14 kills while Collins had 13 and Darras 12 in the effort.
Breann Whitaker had 42 assists for SWOSU and a season-high six kills, including a pair of crucial ones in the third set, while Collins led the team with 20 digs.
A big advantage for SWOSU came at the net, where the Lady Bulldogs finished with 15 blocks while Northwestern managed just six. SWOSU also limited NWOSU to a hitting percentage of .122.
The win improves SWOSU to 4-6 on the year and, more importantly, 1-0 in Great American Conference play. The Lady Dawgs again step out of conference this weekend to face Texas A&M-Kingsville and West Texas A&M on Saturday in Canyon, Texas.
