DECATUR — The Northwest Mississippi Community College volleyball team extended its undefeated start to the season with a 3-0 sweep of East Central Community College on Monday night. The Rangers improved to 9-0 overall and 27-0 in sets played this season, according to team sources.
Northwest’s head coach Allison Burchyett said the team was motivated to avenge a loss from last year’s match on the same floor, which ended an eight-match winning streak. Last season, the Warriors played well on their sophomore night, but Burchyett said her team was unable to match their intensity. “It was really good to come back and take care of business on the court against them,” she said.
The Rangers took control early in the first set, going on a 15-1 run after East Central tied the score at three. They built an 18-4 lead behind strong serving from Dallas White and Sofia Gonzalez and ultimately won the set 25-11.
East Central pushed back in the second set, opening with an early lead. The Warriors led 9-7 before Northwest responded with a 4-0 run. The set was tied at 17 before Northwest finished strong, winning 25-19. In the third set, Northwest dominated from the start, with Valerie Hurdle opening with three kills in the first four points and the team extending its lead to 18-8. The Rangers finished with 14 kills in the final set and a 25-13 victory.
Despite the team’s high attacking rate, no player finished with double-digit kills. Gonzalez led with nine, followed by Hurdle with eight. Eleven players recorded a kill, and Northwest hit .209 as a team. Hurdle posted an impressive .727 attack percentage, with all eight of her kills coming without errors. Chloe Rodriguez led in assists with 12, adding three kills and three blocks. White finished with 10 assists and two aces. The team totaled 10 aces and 11 blocks in the match.
Northwest will host Itawamba Community College on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Howard Coliseum. The match will be streamed at nwccrangers.com/watch. Burchyett praised the home atmosphere, noting the support from fans adds to the team’s enthusiasm. Fans and supporters can follow team updates at nwccrangers.com and on social media.
