Wooster Sweeps DePauw Behind 10-2 Match-Closing Rally

WOOSTER, Ohio – Senior Seven Townsel tapped down an overpass to cap a dominant 10-2 run that kept Saturday afternoon's sweep intact, as The College of Wooster volleyball team beat DePauw University 25-17, 25-17, 26-24, in what marked the Fighting Scots' first win in the series since the Tigers joined the North Coast Athletic Conference in 2011.

Wooster (12-5, 1-1 NCAC) stormed back from a 22-16 third-set deficit. Consecutive kills from senior Katie Billetdeaux pulled Wooster within 22-20, and the Scots' star middle blocked Jessica Levy's attack attempt to make it a one-point set. Townsel curved an attack around DePauw's (8-7, 1-3 NCAC) triple-block attempt that pulled the Scots within 23-22. After getting to set point, DePauw's Katie Gansle sent an attack long, and the Tigers' Ashley Hass couldn't find the sideline with a punch-like free-ball hit. That tied the score at 24, and Billetdeaux fired off an ace down the sideline. In fact, Billetdeaux nearly had another one on Wooster's set point, with DePauw's reception leaking over the net to Townsel, who capped the match with her ninth kill.

Junior Sydney Fitzcharles tallied eight digs in the opening set, and the Scots' libero had two aces as part of Wooster's match-opening 8-0 run. In fact, DePauw only had five kills in the first set, and the Tigers hit .000 for the frame.

The Hayley Nash show took over at the second set's onset, with the Scots' junior outside hitter logging five straight kills at one point. Later, with Nash at the service line, Townsel took over as the Scots' finisher with three kills. Next, Townsel and Billetdeaux stuffed DePauw's Sarah Herman, with that point capping a 12-1 Scots' run.

Nash led all players with 13 kills, and she had the co-team-lead in digs at 15. Billetdeaux added 12 kills and four blocks, Fitzcharles matched Nash with 15 digs, and the Scots' libero accounted for five of Wooster's eight aces.

Jenna Purichia did her part for DePauw with 21 digs, while no Tiger finished in double figures in the kills' column.

Wooster hit .237 to DePauw's .133.

Next, Wooster's at Denison University (11-5, 2-0 NCAC) at 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 9.