POPLARVILLE, Miss. — Wednesday night was the win of the year for the Pearl River volleyball team as the Wildcats took down the MACCC-leading Northwest Rangers 3-1 (18-25, 25-17, 25-20, 25-17) in front of a raucous crowd inside Shivers Gymnasium.

"How crazy was that? We knew we had to bring it today," sophomore setter Madison Butler said. "We practiced last night at 8 p.m. and again this morning at 9:30 a.m. We had some mistakes to fix and knew we had to give it our all."

Pearl River's crowd was one of the best of the season, helping the Wildcats to victory.

"We haven't had the best season, but look at all of these people who keep coming to support us," head coach Haley Chatham said. "It means so much to us. Those girls can really feel it. This team is coming on late, but it is definitely coming along."

Things didn't bounce Pearl River's (8-17 overall; 3-3 MACCC) way in the opening set of the night against Northwest (20-7; 5-1). The Wildcats had an early advantage, but the Rangers quickly recovered from the deficit and went on to put away the set 25-18.

Things started to change for the Wildcats in the second set with the help of a Peyton Hoffmayer (Ocean Springs) takeover. The lead moved to 7-5 PRCC 12 points into the set, with Hoffmayer credited for most of the points. The sophomore opposite hitter denied two attack attempts for points and followed it up by smashing a kill off the Shivers Gymnasium floor.

Pearl River applied the pressure, building an impressive 12-5 lead. The Rangers didn't go away easily, though, scoring five straight points to force Chatham into calling a timeout with a 12-9 lead. 

The timeout was well-timed for Pearl River as Allie Richardson (Fruitdale, Ala.) immediately thumped a kill down onto the floor for a point, sparking a run that swelled PRCC's lead to 18-13.

The Rangers called a timeout of their own to try to switch up the momentum but sent two straight kill attempts out of bounds, and then Morgan Mears (Hurley; East Central) softly tapped a ball over the net for a kill, 21-13. NWCC picked up four more points before the set ended, but PRCC held on to win 25-17.

Pearl River won the opening point of set three thanks to a mistake by the Rangers, which resulted in Jordyn Wilks (Independence, La.; Hammond Magnet) heading back to serve. The freshman was incredible for the Wildcats with her serving, helping PRCC rattle off six more points to grab an early 7-0 lead. The run also featured kills by Mears and Avery Wheat (Gonzales, La.; East Ascension).

Pearl River remained in the lead into the middle portion of the set, going ahead 15-6 on an NWCC mistake and an Annalaura Williford (Bay St. Louis; Our Lady Academy) tip over the net.

Ahead 15-9, another Wildcat run began. In a span of four points, Mears was responsible for three of them with kills to give PRCC a 10-point, 19-9 advantage. Northwest responded well with its back against the wall, fighting back to pull within two points at 21-19. 

The Wildcats wouldn't let it get much closer. Hoffmayer sent a kill off a Northwest defender and out of play, and Wheat followed with an ace. Williford tacked on a kill off a block attempt and closed out the set with another kill, 25-20.

Northwest looked like it had figured out something as the fourth set began, controlling things for half of the set and taking a 14-11 lead. With its crowd behind it, Pearl River flipped a switch at that point. 

The Rangers committed a violation, and Mears pulled PRCC within one with an ace. Madi King (Leakesville; Greene County) tacked on a kill to even the set, 14-14. Another Ranger miscue followed, and they took a timeout. 

Out of the break, things continued to go Pearl River's way. NWCC was called for another violation, and Hoffmayer smoked a kill past a Ranger for a point, 17-14. Northwest got the point back, but a four-point Wildcat swing followed. Hoffmayer started it with a kill, Skyla Rann (Gonzales, La.; East Ascension) knuckled an ace over the net, and Richardson picked up a solo block. Rann showed her serving skills again by earning another ace right after, and the Wildcats led 21-15.

The momentum was fully behind the Wildcats afterward as they went on to win the set 25-17 and the match 3-1.

UP NEXT
The Wildcats head to Boaz, Ala. Friday for the Snead State Invitational. PRCC takes on Bevill State at 4 p.m. and Walters State at 6 p.m.

For the latest on Pearl River Community College athletics, follow us on X (@PRCCAthletics) and Facebook (PRCCAthletics).