Comeback Complete! Tigers Rally To Win NCAC Tournament Title

Greencastle, Indiana - Left for dead after losing six of their first seven games to start the 2023 season, the Wittenberg women's volleyball team has spent the last six weeks slowly putting the pieces together for what turned out to be a most unlikely championship run. The Tigers completed the comeback in dramatic fashion, stunning top-seeded DePauw with a five-point, game-ending burst to capture a 3-2 win and the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Tournament championship.

The win was Wittenberg's ninth straight, including wins over Denison, Ohio Wesleyan, and DePauw in the NCAC Tournament. The Tigers improved to 16-13 overall and earned the NCAC's automatic berth into the 2023 NCAA Division III Tournament. DePauw saw its season come to a close with an overall record of 16-13 after going 7-0 in the NCAC regular season to win its first title.

The set scores were 25-11, 23-25, 21-25, 25-14, 16-14, with plenty of momentum swings throughout the match. None were bigger than the final momentum shift, which took place in the fifth set after DePauw moved to the brink of the tournament title at 14-11.

After a DePauw service error, Wittenberg freshman Ava Golem (Kirtland, Ohio/Kirtland) took her turn triggering the action and magic ensued for the Tigers. Golem served out the match as sophomore Kaili Worcester (Powell, Ohio/Olentangy Liberty) pounded a kill and then teamed with freshman Kait Colahan (Vermilion, Ohio/Vermilion) to register a block and tie the match. Senior Tyler Linkhart (Yellow Springs, Ohio/Yellow Springs) pounded a kill to give Wittenberg the lead, and then DePauw was forced into an attack error to end the match.

Linkhart was tremendous offensively for Wittenberg, leading both teams with 18 kills against just one error for a .354 attack percentage. Worcester added 15 kills, sophomore Alana Bartulovic (Cleveland, Ohio/Notre Dame Cathedral Latin) contributed 12 kills, and Colahan finished with 11 kills. Senior Mack Ricketts (Morrow, Ohio/Little Miami) was outstanding in distribution as she handed out 53 assists to go along with 17 digs defensively.

Sophomore Ally White (Harrison, Ohio/Harrison) played another stellar match, finishing with 31 digs, a stat that doesn't include her work setting when the Tigers were out of system and keeping balls alive, including one instance where she went hurtling into chairs set up for the team's bench. Golem added 13 digs, and Colahan's six blocks were crucial to the defensive as well.

Wittenberg won its 27th NCAC Tournament title, and the Tigers will learn their NCAA Division III Tournament fate during the selection show at 1 p.m. Monday, November 13. Linkhart and Worcester were named to the NCAC All-Tournament Team, while Ricketts picked up Tournament MVP honors.