Wooster Falls in Heartbreaker in NCAC Tournament First Round

Wooster's two seniors - Taylor Mathews & Ksenia Klue

The College of Wooster volleyball team nearly rallied back from a 10-5 deficit in the fifth frame before Hiram College rebounded to close out a 17-25, 20-25, 25-21, 25-17, 15-12 come-from-behind win in the first round of the North Coast Athletic Tournament on Friday afternoon at Springfield, Ohio.

Wooster's (14-15) strong block enabled the Scots to quickly wipe out an early 4-0 hole in the first set as junior Ashley Plassard teamed up with senior Taylor Mathews at the net for the third point of a 4-0 Wooster run. Then, Plassard stuffed Hiram's Kayla Cole to tie the set at four. Later in the frame, a 7-0 Wooster run pulled the Scots comfortably ahead at 16-9, and a block capped the run with Mathews recorded the Scots' fourth in the frame.

Junior Jordan Murray capped a 5-1 stretch in the second set with an ace, and that had Wooster up six at 13-7. Hiram (19-10) responded with a four-point swing to pull within two at 13-11, but Wooster bumped the lead back out to seven at 20-13 on an ace off the serve of senior Ksenia Klue.

A pair of Plassard kills staked Wooster to a narrow lead at 12-10 and later at 13-11 in the third set. After back-to-back Hiram points tied the set at 14, sophomore Erica Roberts put the Scots back on top 15-14, and the Scots led as late as 18-17 after a Terrier attack error.

Four straight kills by Cole shifted all the momentum in favor of Hiram in the fourth set as the Terriers jumped out to a 15-10 lead. The Scots pulled within two at 16-14 on an ace by junior Marija Cyvas, but that marked the closest the Scots came the rest of the set.

A 4-0 run pushed Hiram's lead out to 10-5 in the fifth set, but Wooster rallied back to pull within one at 13-12. Kills by Cyvas and Klue cut the Scots' deficit to two at 10-8 before a setting error by Hiram made it a one-point frame. Later, a block by Cyvas and Mathews pulled Wooster within 13-12.

Klue led the way for Wooster with her 13th double-double on the year, thanks to 19 kills and 14 digs. The senior closed her career with 990 career kills.

Mathews capped her career with a team-leading 16th double-double this season. Mathews' stat line included 41 assists and 11 digs.

In all, five Scots logged double-digit digs with junior Gabrielle Basinski leading the way with 24.

Cole led all players with a match-high 24 kills and she backed that up with 16 digs.