An 0-3 loss against the New Braunfels Unicorns Tuesday at home sent the volleyball team to a tiebreaker match against East Central tonight.

At stake are a fourth place district finish and the right to advance to the playoffs.

This New Braunfels game could’ve been big for the Rangers because it would have secured their place in the playoffs. The first game went back and forth as New Braunfels squeezed out the 29-27 win. After that, the Unicorns won the next two games handily with a 25-14 second game and a 25-16 third game.

“The New Braunfels game was incredibly important,” head coach Courtney Patton said. “We didn’t respond to New Braunfels pushing at us the way I was hoping that we were going to respond, which didn’t give us the outcome we wanted.”

Despite the loss, players shone, such as junior Tanyse Moehrig-Woodard, who led the team in kills with 13, and freshman Maddie Dennis, who led the team in assists with 33.

Tonight, the Rangers get their last chance for the playoffs with a game against the East Central Hornets. The outcome will decide who finishes fourth and makes the final district playoff spot. For the Rangers to push their season onward, key players will have to step up.

“I’m hoping to see big games from Tara McLeod, Lauren Domel, Tanyse Moehrig, and hopefully we can get more consistency from Gabi Smith,” Patton said.

The Hornets have the same 7-7 district record as the Rangers, and they won their recent game 3-0 against Steele to set up the tiebreaker match. Both teams split the two previous matches. In the most recent, the Rangers took all three games. However, in the first, East Central was able to edge out a 3-2 match win.

“East Central have got a lot of fire,” Patton said. “They’re playing for an opportunity to be in the playoffs, which is one they haven’t had in quite a while, so they’ll be playing with a lot of intensity on Friday night, so we’re going to have to respond appropriately.”