The College of Wooster volleyball team's late second-set charge was not enough to halt Wittenberg University, which topped the Fighting Scots 25-15, 25-23, 25-11 on Wednesday evening at Timken Gymnasium. Prior to the match, Wooster celebrates its academic successes from the last academic year.

Wooster, which was down 23-15 in the second, pulled within 24-23 on sophomore Catherine Muzilla's service ace. The Scots' libero served up a pair of aces during Wooster's 8-1 run. Wooster's front row started the comeback bid with a kill from first-year Tamarra Talbert that was followed by a double-block by Talbert and junior Jordan Laraway on Clare O'Malley. Laraway added two kills following her block. A setting error won the set for the Tigers.

Wooster was able to establish a strong block early in the match. Senior Izzy Cozzie had a solo denial on an attack from Kait Colahan, then Talbert and sophomore Mary-Catherine Werth combined to stop Kaili Worcester and pull Wooster within 7-4 in the first. Junior Kora Burill complemented the early blocking success with three kills form the middle position to lead the Scots.

Laraway posted a team-high six kills on the night, and she had six digs and a block on the stat sheet. Five of Laraway's kills and three of her digs came in set two, where the Scots outhit the Tigers .233 to .190. Muzilla led with 13 digs, nine of which were in the second set.

Cozzie followed Laraway with five kills and had eight digs, as did junior Natalie Hohman.

Wittenberg's Colahan and Worcester had 10 kills each. Ally White and Piper Ricketts combined for 26 digs.

Wittenberg hit .283 for the match.

Wittenberg improved to 15-7, 6-0 North Coast Athletic Conference, and clinched at least a share of the conference title with the win. Wooster dropped to 5-18, 1-5 NCAC.

Next, Wooster wraps up conference play with a noon match on Saturday, Nov. 1 against John Carroll University (16-8, 5-1 NCAC).