Terriers End Scots’ Season In NCAC Tourney Semifinals

Winners of 10 of its last 13 matches to finish out the regular season, The College of Wooster's volleyball team late-season run of momentum came to an end Friday evening for a second-straight season to Hiram College in the semifinals of the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament inside the HPER Center in Springfield. The No. 2 seeded Fighting Scots fell in three sets to the No. 3 seeded Terriers 27-25, 25-14, 25-22, and ended their 2008 campaign with an overall record of 20-13, marking the most victories since the 2005 season.

Set one featured mini-spurts by each side before Hiram claimed the final two points in the 27-25 win. During the second set, Hiram ran out to a 10-1 lead before Wooster came roaring back, getting as close as five at 13-8. However, Hiram answered and took set two 25-14. The third set played out much like the opener with each side not able to pull away. With the set tied at 19-19, Hiram scored six of the final nine points for a 25-22 win.

Junior outside hitter KateLynn Riley paced the offensive attack for Wooster as she connected with a team- and match-high 13 kills, one solo block, three block assists and two service aces. Meredith Kiefer and Megan Earle contributed eight and six kills, respectively, while Kiefer added two block assists.

In the Wooster back row, senior libero Ali Drushal paced the team with 22 digs, while Earle racked up 11 digs and freshman setter Lizzi Beal passed out 28 assists and smacked two kills on just two attempts.

Hiram (19-17) moves on to the championship final where it will once again do battle with No. 5-ranked Wittenberg University (31-2) on Saturday at 2 p.m., as those two teams will meet in the conference tournament finals for the seventh-straight season. The Tigers swept Allegheny College 25-11, 25-14, 25-18 in Friday's other semifinal to put themselves in contention for their 11th tournament title in the last 12 years, as Hiram took home the tournament title back in 2006.