Northwest volleyball defeats Meridian in four sets, nears program wins record

Photo: Aven Mathis came up big late for the Rangers, picking up the final two kills for NWCC in their win over Meridian on Oct. 15 (Brian Oakley/nwccrangers.com)

MERIDIAN, Miss. – The Northwest Mississippi Community College volleyball team battled to a four-set road victory against Meridian Community College on Wednesday, moving one win shy of tying the program’s all-time record for wins in a single season.

The Rangers (27-4, 11-2) overcame a resilient Eagles team (10-20, 1-13) with scores of 25-23, 25-15, 21-25, and 27-25. Aven Mathis secured the victory with the final two kills in a dramatic fourth set.

“It was a tough win against a super scrappy team tonight,” Head Coach Allison Burchyett said. “I’m proud we battled through.”

The match began as a back-and-forth affair, with the first set featuring multiple ties before kills from Ariana Woods and Reese McIntosh gave Northwest a 25-23 win. The Rangers carried that momentum into the second set, dominating with a 10-3 run to close it out 25-15 and take a 2-0 match lead.

Meridian found its footing in the third set, using a late 3-0 run to create separation and hold off the Rangers for a 25-21 victory, forcing a fourth set.

The Eagles appeared poised to extend the match further, building a 22-17 lead in the fourth. However, Northwest mounted a stunning 7-0 rally to take a 24-22 lead. After Meridian tied the set at 25-25, Mathis delivered consecutive kills to clinch the 27-25 set win and the match for the Rangers.

Mathis led Northwest with 10 kills, supported by eight kills each from Woods, Adalyn Callahan, and Chloe Fesperman. Dallas White distributed 19 assists, while Chloe Rodriguez added 15. The team also recorded eight service aces and five total blocks.

The victory marks the Rangers’ seventh consecutive win. They will look to tie the program record for season wins when they host Itawamba Community College on Monday, Oct. 20, at 6 p.m.