Tweet #theGAC  HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – After enduring first-round exits in each their previous three appearances in the Great American Conference Championships, Northwestern Oklahoma State scored its first match win as the Rangers defeated seventh-seeded Ouachita in four sets in Thursday’s second quarterfinal match from the Bank OZK Arena.
 
The Rangers (23-10) responded after dropping the opening set, 25-20, by claiming each of the subsequent three sets by matching 25-22 margins. After hitting .157 in the opening set, Northwestern hit .252 the rest of the way. Conversely, the Tigers (14-14), who produced their best attack percentage of the contest in the opening set, .192, produced just a .137 percentage the rest of the way.
 
Trailing 14-13 in the second set, the Rangers rattled off seven-straight points to take control of the set. They followed up by never trailing in the third set. The fourth set featured 15 ties and five lead changes. Neither team held a lead greater than two points until match point.
 
Northwestern Oklahoma State’s Kaydee Honeycutt led the Ranger offense with 22 kills and she hit .259. First-Team All-GAC selections Kiauna Clark and Jennifer Eubanks each reached double figures in kills. Eubanks hit .318.
 
Katie Camp notched a double-double for the Tigers. Her 16 kills led the team and she added 17 digs,
 
With the Rangers rally, teams losing the first set improved to just 16-42 all-time at the GAC Championships. Northwestern did extend the dominance of the tournament’s second seeds in the quarterfinal round. They remained perfect, 9-0, against the No. 7 seeds in Championship play.
 
The Rangers will take on Harding at 3:30 pm in Friday’s first semifinal contest. In the lone the regular season meeting, Harding won a five-set match with the Rangers in Searcy.