Anna Medema

The College of Wooster volleyball team came out of the gate strong, but ultimately, the Fighting Scots dropped their first North Coast Athletic Conference road game of the year at Ohio Wesleyan University 22-25, 25-17, 25-19, 25-21 on Friday evening at Branch Rickey Arena in Delaware, Ohio.

Junior Anna Medema sparked Wooster (12-7, 1-2 NCAC) in the first set with a pair of kills, the second of which pulled the Scots within 15-12 and sparked an 8-2 run by the Scots that had the Black and Gold up 20-17. Medema tallied her fourth kill of the opening set during the run, and other big plays included a double-block by sophomore Meghan Botsch and senior Marija Cyvas and a Cyvas kill. Ohio Wesleyan pulled within one at 22-21, but misfired on its next two attack attempts, and senior Ashley Plassard capped the set with a kill.

Wooster was within one at 7-6 after a Cyvas kill in the second set, but a 5-0 run by Ohio Wesleyan ensued. Senior Eleri Miller was the Scots' bright spot in the second frame with three kills on four swings and a pair of digs.

Wooster's senior class led the Scots on a key 3-0 run in the third set that had the Black and Gold up 16-13. Cyvas and Miller strung together back-to-back kills, and then Miller teamed up with Plassard on a block. However, a lengthy 10-0 run by the Battling Bishops five points later all but closed out the set for Ohio Wesleyan.

Cyvas was in on a pair of blocks early in the fourth set, and the second one pulled Wooster ahead 11-10. The Scots led by as many as four at 15-11, but Ohio Wesleyan's Erin Bitzer and Molly Jewett teamed up for two blocks during a 7-0 run that pulled the Battling Bishops out in front 18-15.

Plassard led the way for Wooster with a team-high nine kills and five blocks. Cyvas added eight kills and four blocks, while Miller rounded out the Scots with at least seven kills.

Senior Gabrielle Basinski logged a match-high 16 digs, while Botsch dished out 33 assists.

Paige Hale's 18 kills for Ohio Wesleyan marked the match-high, while Jordan Brandt added 13.

Next, Wooster travels to Allegheny College (5-15, 0-1 NCAC) for a 7 p.m. match on Wednesday, Oct. 10.