OBERLIN, Ohio – The College of Wooster volleyball team took charge in the second set against California Institute of Technology and never looked back in Friday's 13-25, 25-23, 25-20, 25-19 win, and then took care of University of Pittsburg at Bradford in the nightcap, claiming a straight-set 25-15, 25-20, 25-22 victory.
Consecutive aces from sophomore Tamara Turner turned the overall tide of the match in favor of Wooster in the second set against Caltech. Those put Wooster up 5-2. Later, senior Caroline Dillard broke a 21-21 set with a kill and an attack error brought the Scots to set point. A solo block by junior Amelia Mitchell on Olivia Xu clinched the set.
Senior Troy Johnson could not be stopped in the third set, recording four kills on five swings. That showing was backed up by a balanced effort from Dillard, first-year Jordan Laraway, and senior Ty Thompson, who all had multiple kills in the frame. Balance was ultimately the theme throughout, with four Scots finishing the match between seven and nine kills, with Mitchell joining Dillard, Johnson, and Laraway there.
Senior Trinity Harmon's fourth-set defense led the way, as the libero had six digs in that frame alone. Three straight kills, including two from Dillard, turned a 19-19 tangle into a 22-19 Wooster lead. Thompson served up an ace that fell just inside the end line for the match-clinching point.
Harmon's 19 digs earned top billing for the match, while junior Lucy Kinser followed with 14. Mitchell accounted for two of Wooster's four blocks.
Caltech's Helen Brackney's nine kills were the high for the Beavers.
Wooster hit a season-high .265 in its first sweep of 2023. The Scots were even hotter in the opening frame, putting together a .360 attack percentage on the strength of just one error. The trio of Dillard, Johnson and Mitchell combined for seven kills on 13 swings with no attack errors.
Mitchell's strong start carried over, with the junior putting away four kills in set two. Ultimately, separation was gained during a 7-0 Wooster run that included two Harmon aces and a teamwork block by Johnson and Laraway on Emma King.
Harmon and Kinser kept Bradford at bay with 11 digs in the third set. Thompson powered the offense with five kills in the frame. Mitchell's kill at 16-15 put Wooster ahead for good. Down the stretch, two Bradford service errors and a Turner kill bumped Wooster's lead back out to two each time the Panthers were within a point.
Mitchell hit .643 for the match with nine kills and no errors on 14 attack attempts. Turner was next with six kills, and as a team, Wooster tallied up 32. Harmon's 16 digs were the match high, as were Mitchell's three blocks.
Bridget Kasting and King had five kills apiece for Bradford. Chloe Bellis led the defense with eight digs.
Wooster ran its record to 5-4 with the victories. The Scots have one more match on the weekend at Oberlin College, with that taking place against Saint Vincent College (3-4) at noon on Saturday.