Houghton, MI – On their final regular season road trip, the Parkside Rangers fell to the Michigan Tech Huskies in straight sets. After a heart-pounding extended first set, the Rangers were unable to recover.
Inside the Box Score:
- Sam Fisch led the Rangers with 14 kills, nine of them coming in the first set.
- Natalie Harris posted her sixth consecutive 20+ dig effort, registering a match-best 23.
- Karlee Lois posted a double-double with 22 assists and 15 digs.
How It Happened:
The match began strong for the Rangers, as Sam Fisch came out swinging, logging four straight kills. Lily Ray added to the momentum, notching two aces to propel the Rangers to a 7-2 advantage in the blink of an eye. With Fisch continuing to provide timely kills, the Rangers extended their lead to 18-14. However, the Huskies responded with a 5-1 run, evening the set at 19-all. The Rangers showed resilience, and Fisch's ninth kill of the set gave them a 24-22 lead. Despite being just a point away from closing out the set, the Huskies surged to take a 27-25 victory in set one.
The Huskies carried momentum from their first-set win and dominated the second set 25-13. In the third, Monica Lukasiewicz and Kendal Zeiter provided an offensive spark, leading the team through the early stages with kills. Although the Rangers never led in the set, they battled to tie it at 11 midway through. Showing fight late in the match, the Rangers turned a 23-18 deficit into a 23-22 score after a Natalie Harris ace. However, the Huskies closed out the match with the final two points, completing the sweep. With the loss, the Rangers' two-match winning streak comes to an end, and their record falls to 9-13 overall and 5-6 in conference play.
Next:
The Rangers return to action tomorrow for their final regular season road match against Northern Michigan, with first serve set for 3:00 PM. For match coverage, visit ParksideRangers.com/coverage.
