Scots Aiming to Reach NCAC Tourney Final For First Time Since 1985

For The Week Of:
October 29, 2007

Written by Hugh Howard
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Ali Drushal

Having reached the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament semifinals for the third time in four years, The College of Wooster is looking to take the next step this weekend and advance to the championship match for the first time since 1985. In order to do so, Wooster will have to knock off second-seeded and No. 19 ranked Hiram College (26-4) Friday night, Nov. 2. The Fighting Scots took one game off the Terriers in their regular season series, falling 28-30, 30-26, 30-26, 30-22 in Wooster back on Sept. 12 and 30-26, 30-20, 30-24 at Hiram Oct. 5. The teams’ third meeting will be played on the campus of No. 1 seed Wittenberg University at 8 p.m. Earlier, Wittenberg (32-0), which is ranked No. 1 in NCAA Div. III following a perfect regular season, will host fourth-seeded Earlham College (13-15). The two winners will match-up on Saturday, Nov. 3, at 2 p.m., for the right to earn the league’s automatic berth into the NCAA Div. III Tournament.

Last Week: The Scots swept a pair of matches to clinch an overall winning record for the 2007 season, currently at 15-13.

On Oct. 24, Wooster dropped the first game at Ohio Wesleyan University, but bounced back for a fairly decisive 25-30, 30-20, 30-24, 30-25 conference victory. Senior Carolyn Ciriegio (Covington, Ohio / Covington) and junior Megan Earle (Middleburg Hts., Ohio / Midpark) led the way, as each registered a double-double. Ciriegio had a team-high 13 kills and 10 digs, while Earle posted 11 kills and 31 digs. Senior setter Heather Wolff (Mansfield, Ohio / Madison Comprehensive) had a double-double herself, tying a season-high with 11 kills to go along with 46 assists. Junior libero Ali Drushal (Lakeville, Ohio / West Holmes) racked up big numbers against Ohio Wesleyan again, as she collected 50 digs following a conference-record 56-dig performance in a match between the two foes earlier this fall. Additionally, sophomore KateLynn Riley (Westlake, Ohio / Westlake) and senior Erin Wright (Akron, Ohio / Walsh Jesuit) smashed 11 and 10 kills, respectively.

On Oct. 27, the Scots finished their regular season on a high note, securing a 3-1 win at NCAC opponent Denison University by scores of 30-28, 30-22, 20-30, and 30-20. Wooster tallied a season-best .372 hitting percentage (66 kills, 12 errors, 145 attempts), paced by Wright’s 20 kills and .514 hitting percentage and Riley’s 16 kills. Wolff passed out 51 assists, giving her 1,015 on the year, becoming the first in Scot history with three 1,000-assist seasons. Defensively, Drushal, freshman Abby Jensen (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Pioneer), and Earle ended up with 25, 18, and 13 digs, respectively.