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HIRAM, Ohio — For the first time ever, Wittenberg University's volleyball team lost a North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) match by a 3-0 score, succombing to host Hiram in the first match of the second day of a busy conference weekend. The Tigers recovered to sweep Wooster and head back home with a 3-1 weekend finish.
The sweep by Hiram, the only NCAC team to beat Wittenberg since 1997, was surprising if only because the Tigers came into the match with a 12-1 record, including a staggering eight wins against nationally ranked opponents. Hiram started the weekend a modest 9-6, but the Terriers swept all four conference opponents over the two days, including preseason favorite Wittenberg by scores of 25-20, 25-23, 25-18 to take early control of the 2010 NCAC title chase. The two teams will meet again in Springfield at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9.
The loss ended Wittenberg's NCAC-record 67-match regular season win streak, dating back to a 2005 loss to the Terriers (which ended a then-record 63-match NCAC regular season win streak), also on Hiram's home floor. Since then, the Tigers have won the last four NCAC regular season titles without a loss, although Hiram did claim the 2006 NCAC Tournament title on Wittenberg's home floor.
Senior setter Amy Cox (Newark, Ohio/Catholic) dished out 31 assists in the loss to Hiram, while junior Kimmie Dyer (Copley, Ohio/Copley) led the attack with 10 kills on a .450 percentage. Junior Katie Sumner (Dublin, Ohio/Watterson) added six kills, and the defense was paced by sophomore libero Christina Gilene (Milford, Ohio/McNicholas) with 13 digs.
The Tigers bounced back well against Wooster, sweeping the Scots just as they had beaten Oberlin and Allegheny on Saturday. The set scores were 25-16, 25-23, 25-12.
Dyer was strong again with five aces and nine kills, while Sumner topped the offense with eight kills and a .389 attack percentage. Cox distributed 29 assists. Freshman Quin Gable (West Chicago, Ill./West Chicago) was outstanding in her most extensive collegiate playing opportunity, finishing with 15 digs as the team's defensive specialist.