Lydia Webster

The College of Wooster volleyball team recorded a 25-point set format record 18 blocks, and senior Lydia Webster did likewise with the individual program standard with 14, but host Denison University rallied back for a 25-27, 23-25, 25-15, 28-26, 15-10 win on Wednesday night at Granville, Ohio.

Wooster (14-7, 2-5 North Coast Athletic Conference) warded off a set point in the first frame when a kill by Webster tied the set at 24. Then, junior Ksenia Klue served up an ace, but this time, it was Denison's (10-13, 3-3 NCAC) turn to ward off the set point as Carly Newell connected on a kill tying the frame at 25. From there, back-to-back kills by Webster and senior Anna Emmick closed out the set for Wooster.

In the second set, the Big Red continued to ward off the set points as Denison pulled within one at 24-23 prior to junior Taylor Mathews setting up sophomore Marija Cyvas for the set-ending kill. Earlier in the frame, Wooster took the lead for good at 19-18 on a kill from Webster, and then two straight kills by Klue enabled the Fighting Scots to open up a three-point advantage at 21-18.

The Big Red quickly pulled away in the third set, and at one point led 15-5. Two Wooster blocks - one by junior Mayia Karagianni and Webster, and then one by Emmick and senior Megan Mey highlighted the points for the Scots in the third set.

Wooster rallied back from a five point deficit it faced at 16-11 with its front line leading the way. Cyvas and Webster combined on a block to cap a 3-0 swing pulling the Scots within two at 16-14, and then teamed up on back-to-back blocks to push Wooster in front 18-17. Another block, this time by Klue and Webster, gave Wooster a match point, but Denison warded off that, and later a second match point before eventually taking the set.

Denison used a 4-0 run with kills from three different players to open up an 8-3 advantage in the fifth set. Wooster pulled within one at 10-9 after three straight Denison attack errors, but the Big Red found their groove from there with a 5-1 burst to close out the match.

Webster led the way with a double-double on the evening. In addition to her 14 blocks, the senior smashed down 12 kills. Klue (19 digs, 15 kills) and Mathews (27 assists, 15 digs) both backed Webster up with double-doubles of their own.

Leah Reinfranck paced Denison with 19 kills.

Previously, Wooster's 25-point set team blocking record was 16 - and the Scots did that twice - first at Allegheny College in 2011, and then versus Kenyon College in 2013. Individually, Zoë Zwegat was credited with 11 blocks in the 2013 Kenyon match, which was the previous highest total by a Scot in the 25-point set era, which has been in effect since 2008.

Next, Wooster hosts Marietta College (17-11) at 6 p.m. on Friday.