WOOSTER, Ohio – Junior Hayley Nash turned in another double-double, senior Katie Billetdeaux hit .419, and The College of Wooster volleyball team snapped a three-match slide with a 21-25, 25-20, 25-18, 26-24 win over visiting Marietta College on Tuesday evening at Timken Gymnasium.
Billetdeaux and Nash logged back-to-back kills after Marietta (3-10) tied the fourth set at 24. Both Scots (11-5) delivered six kills in the frame, which featured 11 ties and five lead changes. The last lead change occurred at 18-17, thanks to senior Seven Townsel's kill, and while Marietta tied the frame at 24, the Pioneers did not take the lead back from Wooster.
Consecutive Billetdeaux kills enabled Wooster to jump out to a 4-0 lead in the second set, and later, the Scots' middle jump-started a block party. Townsel teamed up with Billetdeaux to make it 17-14, and on the next point, senior Brooke Swain and Townsel were there to stuff Lauren Radalia as part of a 7-1 stretch.
Wooster took full advantage of Marietta's inability to get its rotations in order in the second set, with the Pioneers getting dinged three times for improper positioning on serve receive. Nash was the beneficiary of the call twice, and as such, was credited with aces. The Pioneers' hiccups continued in the third set, as Marietta sent the wrong server to the line on set point.
Nash paired 15 kills with 12 digs, while Billetdeaux logged 14 kills on 31 swings with just one error. Junior Emily Gail and Townsel kept the Scots rolling all night long with 10 kills apiece. Junior Sydney Fitzcharles was all over the court with 20 digs, and senior Syd Case added 16 digs to go with 45 assists, a total well above her per-set assists' average, which ranked in the top 12 within NCAA Div. III entering the week.
Maggie Fellers' 11 kills were tops among the Pioneers, as were Braya Elsea's 12 digs.
Wooster had a big edge on the night in many key statistical categories, including kills (53-43), attack percentage (.244-.133), and digs (68-53). Marietta hung around in large part due to 15 Wooster service errors.
Conference play is back on tap next for Wooster (0-1 North Coast Athletic Conference), which hosts DePauw University (8-5, 1-1 NCAC) at 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 2.