Volleyball Battles Back to Upend Allegheny in Five

WOOSTER, Ohio – For the third time in a row, The College of Wooster volleyball team defeated Allegheny College in five sets (21-25, 28-26, 20-25, 25-19, 15-10), this time winning the final two sets convincingly to top its North Coast Athletic Conference challenger at Timken Gymnasium.

The Fighting Scots (15-6, 6-3 NCAC) dropped the opening set, but took a big lead late in a wild second set that saw the two teams combine to attempt 105 total attacks. With Wooster in control 23-18, the Gators (11-12, 5-4 NCAC) rallied to score six unanswered points and take a 24-23 lead. The Scots battled back to tie the game at 25 and 26, and then an Erin Webster service ace and a KateLynn Riley kill ended the action and tied the match at one set apiece.

In the third set, Wooster got ahead 8-2 early on, but once again Allegheny cut into in the lead, and this time went on a late run to win 25-20. The Scots came out aggressive in the fourth set, though, leading by as much as eight (17-9) after back-to-back service aces by Kelley Johnson and another Riley kill, and eventually topped the Gators 25-19 to push a fifth and final set. Riley dominated to close out the match, smashing down two-straight kills to seal the Scots' win.

Johnson had a career-high 39 digs in the match, and sophomore setter Lizzi Beal dished out 50 assists. Riley led the team with 23 kills and five block assists, while Melissa Morgan added 11 kills and nine digs.

The Scots will head to Richmond, Ind. this weekend to play four conference matches, starting with action against Ohio Wesleyan University (0-21, 0-7 NCAC) on Saturday at 2 p.m.