By CONNOR GRAY, Assistant Editor
The Northwestern volleyball team had a strong weekend, going 2-1 with a competitive game Friday and a clean sweep Saturday.
The team started the weekend with No. 18-ranked Oklahoma Baptist University. It’s the best team in the conference and the only nationally ranked team in the Great American Conference.
Only three sets occurred. The Oklahoma Baptist Bison got the sweep, but they had to work hard to get it.
All three sets were competitive, and the game was close for most of the sets.
The first set was a battle, going back and forth with a few ties and lead changes. The Bison eventually took it, 25-19
The next set was similar, but the Bison took control earlier and won, 25-16.
The final set looked like the Bison were going to take it without issue, but the Rangers made it close: down by four, 22-18. The Bison finally pulled out the victory 25-21 to get the sweep.
“I was really happy with our girls on Friday,” said Fred Aubuchon, head coach of Rangers volleyball team. “I love how we played them. We played them tough, and I thought we played them intensely.”
Kaydee Honeycutt led the Rangers with 15 kills, followed by Addison Wimmer with eight and three, tied with three kills. Abby Davis had 15 assists on the evening, followed by Abigail Burns with 14.
Tarra Parks led the Rangers with 13 digs, followed by Wimmer with eight and Austyn Pine with six.
On Saturday, the team had a double header against Kansas schools Bethel College and Central Christian College.
It was domination out the gate for the Rangers. Each match was a clean sweep, and none were close.
Wimmer led the Rangers with seven kills, followed by Honeycutt with six. Courtney Russell led the team with four blocks, followed by Ravyn Burns.
Kelsey Ripperger led with 11 assists, followed by Abigail Burns with 10. Maggie Peterson led the team in digs with 11 and Parks with nine.
The Rangers were led in kills by Kaydee Honeycutt with 13, Madison Dehlinger and Austyn Pine with seven kills each.
Pine and Ravyn Burns led the Rangers in blocks with six and five respectively. Abby Davis led with 23 assists followed by Kelsey Ripperger 12 and Tarra Parks with 12. Parks led the team in digs with 13 followed by Honeycutt.
Aubuchon said getting the sweeps over Bethel and Central Christian was a great feeling.
“I was happy to see that we weren’t fatigued from the night before, physically and mentally,” Aubuchon said.
Aubuchon said the games were opportunities for Rangers with less experience to play.
On Sept. 28, the team played Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford.
The Rangers went into the match 4-11, while the Bulldogs were 6-5.
“They’re a good team to play against,” Aubuchon said. “I am personally looking forward to playing them, as they are one of the better teams in the conference.”
Aubuchon said the Bulldogs upset Oklahoma Baptist in five sets on Sept. 16, but they lost to East Central on Sept. 24.
That adds some balance to Southwestern’s team.