Scots Post Two Wins Saturday, Including Conference Affair Over Kenyon

The College of Wooster volleyball team continued its push toward the upcoming North Coast Athletic Conference postseason tournament with back-to-back victories over conference foe Kenyon College (0-26, 0-15 NCAC) and non-conference Otterbein College (8-20) Saturday inside Tomsich Arena on the campus of Kenyon. With the pair of victories, the Scots improve to 18-12 on the season and 11-3 in league play.

Wooster swept by host Kenyon in the first match, winning 3-0 (25-23, 25-13, 25-13). Freshman Sarah Hawke led the offense with 11 kills on just 19 attempts with two errors for a .474 hitting percentage, while junior KateLynn Riley and freshman Kate Brady notched eight and seven kills, respectively. Senior libero Ali Drushal guarded the back row for the Scots, accumulating 23 digs. Riley added a block solo and two block assists, and freshman setter Lizzi Beal tallied 35 assists.

In the second match, the Scots came out and battled with the Cardinals, falling behind in the first set 16-15, but rattled off a 7-0 spurt en route to taking the opening set 25-19. In set number two, Wooster possessed an 18-12 lead, but Otterbein clawed back into the set thanks to 4-1 and 6-1 runs, knotting the set at 22-22. Following the two sides exchanging points, the score was tied 24-24 before two Cardinal hitting errors gave Wooster the set. During the final set, Wooster jumped out to leads of 6-2, 12-6, and 17-9, eventually taking the set, 25-12, and the match.

Riley and Hawke fueled the Scots' offense with 13 and 10 kills, while senior Megan Earle racked up nine of her own. Defense was a key factor in the match as the Scots totaled 57 digs and 18 total blocks. Riley complimented her all-around day at the net, totaling two block solos and six block assists, while freshman Meredith Kiefer tallied four block assists along with three kills on 10 attempts. Drushal led the way with 21 digs, while Beal racked up 26 assists and three service aces.

The Scots will be in action on Wednesday night when they play host to Ohio Wesleyan University (7-20, 5-8 NCAC) for a conference tilt beginning at 7:00 p.m. The match will also be Wooster's Dig for the Cure event, where each dig recorded by the Scots will benefit the Komen for the Cure Foundation.