WOOSTER, Ohio – The College of Wooster volleyball team won set three and warded off five match points in set four before falling to John Carroll University 25-21, 25-22, 19-25, 25-15 in Wednesday evening's season-opener at Timken Gymnasium.

Sophomore Caroline Dillard and junior Hayley Nash blocked John Carroll's (1-0) Steph Conley at 15-14, and that point proved to be the tipping point in the third set. Down the stretch, Nash and senior Syd Case served up aces, with Case's padding Wooster's lead to 23-17. Junior Emily Gail's back-to-back kills secured the set, and she had five on just seven swings in the frame. Also playing well in the third set were Case (11 assists) and junior Sydney Fitzcharles (five digs).

Three Nash kills went in the books during the five-point stretch at match point. Wooster (0-1) had a similar strong stretch at the close of set two, but couldn't cap the rally try. In that frame, Nash had four kills in a seven-point stretch, with the last pulling Wooster within 24-22.

Earlier in the match, Seven Townsel opened her senior year with six kills on 10 swings and five digs in the first set, which featured six ties and two lead changes. Townsel's sixth kill of the set had Wooster within 20-18, and the Scots pulled even closer on Cassi Calamunci's attack error, which made it a 21-20 set.

Nash's 18 kills led all players, while Gail (11) and Townsel (10) finished in double figures. Townsel logged a double-double with 15 digs, as did Case with 44 assists and 12 digs. Fitzcharles' 18 digs earned top-billing on the night, as did senior Katie Billetdeaux's five blocks and three aces.

Calamunci led John Carroll with 13 kills. Ally Bartolone tallied a team-high 15 digs from the setter position, and she matched Billetdeaux with three aces.

John Carroll hit .200 on the night, while Wooster hit .134. Wooster had 66 digs to John Carroll's 57, and both teams served up eight aces.

Next, Wooster's at the University of Mount Union for a quartet of matches September 3-4. The Scots open against the host Purple Raiders (0-0) at 3 p.m. on Friday.