Busy Week Ahead for Scots, Including Three NCAC Matches

For The Week Of:
September 18, 2006

Written by Hugh Howard
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Carolyn Ciregio

The College of Wooster volleyball team looks to improve its current fifth-place position in the North Coast Athletic Conference standings, as the Fighting Scots have three league matches on tap this week as well as a non-conference affair. Wooster will travel to western Pennsylvania and Allegheny College (5-5, 2-0 NCAC) on Wednesday, Sept. 20, for a 7 p.m. match-up. The Scots defeated the Gators 30-28, 30-23, 30-23 at Allegheny in 2005. Wooster will then return home for three matches this weekend, beginning with a Friday night affair, Sept. 22, against Earlham College (8-3, 1-2 NCAC) at 7 p.m. The Scots easily handled the Quakers last fall 30-23, 30-14, 30-18. This Saturday, Sept. 23, Wooster will host a tri-match with No. 13 ranked Wittenberg University (10-4, 2-0 NCAC) and traditional Ohio Athletic Conference power Baldwin-Wallace College (9-1). The rival Scots and Tigers will play at 11 a.m., with Wooster seeking to avenge last season?s 30-19, 31-29, 30-27 setback. The Scots? busy week wraps up with a tilt versus Baldwin-Wallace, a team that Wooster beat in five (30-21, 26-30, 28-30, 30-27, 15-9) in 2005, at 3 p.m.

Last Week: The Scots opened up NCAC action, spitting a pair of road matches, which puts their record at 5-6 overall and 1-1 in the conference.
On Sept. 12, Wooster knocked off host Oberlin College in straight games (30-28, 30-13, 30-22), snapping a three-match losing streak in the process. Carolyn Ciregio (Covington, Ohio / Covington) led the Scots, slamming down a team-high 14 kills on a .333 hitting percentage. Also adding offensive firepower to a balanced attack were Erin Schaffner (North Canton, Ohio / GlenOak) with 12 kills and Ashley Quisenberry (Springfield, Ohio / Springfield Catholic Central) with 10. Schaffner was a force defensively, too, recording four solo and three assisted blocks. Setter Abbie Casey (Prospect, Ohio / Marion Pleasant) dished out 43 assists on the evening while guiding Wooster?s offense. In terms of digs, Ciriegio and libero Ali Drushal (Lakeville, Ohio / West Holmes) shared team honors with 16 apiece.
On Sept. 15, Wooster was swept by No. 22 ranked Hiram College 30-14, 30-24, 30-11, despite 55 digs as a team. One of the bright spots for the Scots was Ciregio, who registered team-highs in kills (7) and digs (15), while Casey dished out 19 assists to go along with 10 digs. Drushal also contributed 10 digs in the setback.