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| Taylor Mathews |
The College of Wooster volleyball team turned in a strong start in its opening set of North Coast Athletic Conference play, but a strong close in that frame by Ohio Wesleyan University propelled the Battling Bishops to a 25-23, 25-11, 25-16 win at Branch Rickey Arena in Delaware, Ohio on Friday evening.
Junior Ksenia Klue helped open a seven-point Wooster (11-3, 0-1 NCAC) lead at 14-7 in the first set with a kill out of the backrow prior to uncorking an ace at the service line. Wooster pushed its lead back to seven at 16-9 on a kill by senior Anna Emmick, and led by five at 22-17 and 23-18 after kills from seniors Megan Mey and Lydia Webster respectively, but the Bishops (10-4, 1-0 NCAC) strung together a 6-0 clip to close out the set, after having a 5-0 run earlier in the frame to pull back within striking distance.
The Scots were in the mix in the early-going of the second set and led as late as 8-7, but the Bishops strung together a pair of lengthy runs to pull away.
Wooster found success at the net late in the third set with a pair of blocks from Klue and fellow junior Taylor Mathews, and Emmick fired off an ace at the service line as Wooster warded off five match points prior to Ohio Wesleyan clinching the match. However, Ohio Wesleyan limited Wooster's momentum prior to match-point as the Scots were held to two or fewer points on each rotation before Emmick stepped to the service line during the second time through the serving order.
Mathews led Wooster on the night with her seventh double-double of the year with 18 assists and 11 digs. Mey paced the Scots' frontline with seven kills, while Emmick added six.
Ohio Wesleyan was paced by Shelby Ksiazek's 12 kills and Sasha Vasquez's six blocks.
Wooster returns home tomorrow to take on Oberlin College (4-6, 0-1 NCAC) at 5 p.m.