HAMMOND, Ind. — The Parkside Rangers put together a gritty performance on Friday at the 2025 Midwest Region Crossover Tournament, opening the day with a hard-fought five-set battle against Northwood. The Timberwolves outlasted the Rangers 3–2 (21–25, 25–9, 18–25, 25–21, 16–14) in a match filled with momentum swings and long rallies. Parkside bounced back in dominant fashion to close out the day, sweeping Malone 3–0 (25–17, 25–23, 25–12) behind a balanced offensive attack and strong play at the net.

Parkside vs Northwood
Parkside opened the match strong, earning a 25-21 win behind an impressive 66% sideout rate while hitting .343 as a team. Ava Irvin led the attack with five kills, while Rachel Mueller added two service aces to keep Northwood off balance. The Rangers maintained steady control throughout the set to take an early 1-0 lead in the match.

Northwood flipped the momentum in the second set, dominating with an 88% sideout rate and a .400 hitting percentage. The Timberwolves' strong serving and efficient offensive rhythm helped them pull away early and even the match with a decisive 25-9 win.

Northwood took control in the third set, hitting .371 to earn a 25-18 win and move ahead 2-1 in the match. The Timberwolves found success through consistent serving and efficient offense, while Parkside struggled to slow their momentum despite a balanced attack across the front line.

Parkside answered with a dominant fourth set, hitting .464—their highest percentage in a single set this season—while posting a 60% sideout rate. Sam Fisch led the charge with seven kills while hitting an outstanding 1.000 in the set, while Natalie Harris added two service aces to fuel the Rangers' momentum. The balanced offense and consistent serve receive kept Northwood off balance, allowing Parkside to pull away late for a 25-21 win and force a decisive fifth set.

The final frame was a dramatic back-and-forth battle, featuring six ties and two lead changes. However, Northwood's efficiency in the closing rallies and a couple of key defensive stops tipped the momentum. Despite Parkside's .348 hitting percentage in the deciding set, Northwood held on for a narrow 16-14 victory to take the match.

Sam Fisch led the Rangers with 19 kills and an outstanding .531 hitting percentage, marking the highest hitting percentage of her career. Ava Irvin added 14 kills and three blocks, while Sierra Kilbourn was highly efficient with 11 kills on .381 hitting. Setter Lucy Russ orchestrated the attack with 31 assists and added eight digs. Defensively, libero Natalie Harris anchored the backcourt with a team-high 21 digs, while Kalyn Schueller contributed four kills and one block. Mariena Coon added five blocks at the net.

Parkside vs Malone
In the opening set, Parkside set the tone early with strong serving and efficient offense. Ava Irvin led the way with five kills on .714 hitting, while Lily Ray added two aces to help the Rangers take the set 25–17.

The second set was tighter, featuring six ties as both teams traded points throughout. During the frame, Ava Irvin reached a major career milestone, recording her 1,000th career kill as a Ranger. Parkside closed out the set 25–23 to take a 2–0 lead.

The Rangers then dominated the third, hitting .522 and closing out the sweep with a 25–12 victory.

Irvin finished with eight kills and eight digs, while Maia Olson was a force at the net with five kills and six blocks. Mariena Coon contributed five kills on .571 hitting and four blocks. Lily Ray filled the stat sheet with 15 assists, two aces, and four digs in a strong all-around performance.

With the victory, Parkside improved to 11–6 overall and 4–3 in GLIAC play. The Rangers return to action tomorrow, Oct. 18, against Truman State at 11:30 a.m. in Hammond, Ind.

For all things Parkside Volleyball and links to live coverage, please visit parksiderangers.com/coverage.