Oberlin Takes Back-and-Forth Thriller From Wooster

WOOSTER, Ohio – An exciting, energetic back-and-forth North Coast Athletic Conference battle ended with Oberlin College as the 24-26, 25-15, 25-27, 28-26, 15-8 victor over The College of Wooster volleyball team on Wednesday evening at Timken Gymnasium.

The service line, plus senior Caroline Dillard's torrid start gave Wooster (6-10, 0-4 North Coast Athletic Conference) the early lead. Nine of Wooster's 26 first-set points came at the service line with five aces by the Fighting Scots, including four from senior Trinity Harmon. Oberlin missed the mark on four serves. Dillard provided seven of Wooster's other 15 points with an electric performance, putting away seven kills on just 11 swings with no errors. Wooster hit .310 in the set with just three errors on 29 attempts.

Oberlin (11-4, 2-2 NCAC) returned the favor, scoring seven second-set points on serves. Iris Archibald took over the match with Oberlin leading 17-12, firing off five consecutive aces. Two Wooster service errors added to Oberlin's haul at the serving line, while the Yeowomen had 15 kills and hit .393 in the frame.

Wooster flustered Oberlin late in the third set, getting two zero blocks before first-year Jordan Laraway ended the rally with a kill that made it 23-22 in favor of the Scots. Dillard's 12th kill of the night warded off set point for Oberlin, as did a kill by sophomore Tamara Turner two points later. Oberlin's Andrea Jones had an attack error, making it set point Wooster, then junior Lucy Kinser dug an Oberlin attack attempt. Kinser's dig veered towards the stands, where Turner kept it alive, then senior Ty Thompson played a free ball over the net. Oberlin's Natalie Dufour went for the kill, but hit it way too hard, sailing the attempt over the end line, giving Wooster the set in the process.

Oberlin leaned on Jones with the match on the line in the fourth set. Consecutive attack errors by Oberlin gave Wooster a chance for the win, then back-to-back Jones kills had Oberlin in position to extend to the fifth. A kill by Dillard tied the set at 26 all before Jillian Jendsen moved to the front row with Oberlin out of subs. The Yeowomen's defensive specialist sent it to the fifth set with a kill.

A 4-0 run by Oberlin pushed the Yeowomen comfortably ahead in the fifth. Both attacking cores surged with the teams combining for a .406 attack percentage. Wooster was within five as late as 12-7.

Dillard logged collegiate double-double one with career-highs in kills and digs at 19 and 15, respectively. The senior's prior high in kills was 14, achieved three times earlier this season. Dillard hit .319 for the match. Additionally, Dillard's 15 digs marked Wooster's high count, while Harmon (14), Kinser (13), and Turner (12) all hit double digits in digs on the night. Other notable stats included six aces from Harmon, who kept all 37 Oberlin serves sent her way in play.

Jones had 21 kills to lead all players, while Oberlin had 76 kills as a team, a total that rates as the third-most in a five-set Div. III match this fall. Taylor Gwynne dished out 60 assists.

Next, Wooster takes a break from conference play with a Saturday tri-match at Allegheny College. Wooster plays Westminster College (Pennsylvania) (12-7) at 1 p.m. before closing the day against Allegheny (14-7) at 3 p.m.