The Northwest Mississippi Community College women’s volleyball team broke its own program record with a 14th consecutive win to start the season. The Rangers defeated Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in four sets, 25-20, 25-16, 18-25, 26-24, to open MACCC play and stay undefeated.
Head Coach Allison Burchyett praised her team’s resilience. “It’s good to pull out a win on the road against a team that was playing really well,” she said. “They forced us to get out of our comfort zone a little bit, so I was very proud of our team for playing gritty and coming through at the end of the fourth set.”
The Rangers struggled early in the first set, falling behind 9-4, but Jania Rose’s service run helped narrow the gap. Northwest took the lead at 15-14 and extended it to 23-18 on a 5-0 run. Sofia Gonzalez finished the set with six kills, helping the team close out the first frame.
In the second set, Northwest dominated with a 19-9 lead, led by Kylee Garcia’s five kills. Gulf Coast attempted a comeback, but the Rangers secured a 25-16 win to take a 2-0 match lead.
Gulf Coast responded in the third set, jumping out to a 6-0 lead and ultimately winning 25-18. Burchyett said her team stayed positive despite losing the set, which was the first time this season they lost a set to Northwest.
The final set was tightly contested, with the teams tying multiple times before Northwest secured a 26-24 victory. Ariana Woods and Valerie Hurdle contributed crucial kills, and Gonzalez and Talley Taylor combined for a decisive block at the end.
Gonzalez led the team with 18 kills, her second-highest total of the year. Woods added 10, Hurdle nine, and Garcia nine without errors. Chloe Rodriguez dished out 26 assists, and Dallas White added 20, with the team finishing with a season-high 52 assists. Rose recorded a season-best 17 digs and four aces.
With the victory, Northwest broke the previous program record of 13 consecutive wins set last season. Garcia emphasized the team’s pride in the achievement and their focus on maintaining humility and trust. The team now prepares for a busy weekend of tournament play in Alabama, facing four different opponents.
