GAMBIER, OHIO  --  The Hiram College women's basketball team could not overcome a 24-point halftime deficit as the Terriers dropped a 74-44 decision to Kenyon College in a North Coast Athletic Conference game in Gambier.

Kenyon (12-4, 6-1 NCAC) started the game on a 14-3 scoring run to reach a double-digit lead early.  Hiram (6-10, 1-6 NCAC) rallied with an ensuing 11-3 run of its own that ended in a three-pointer by senior guard Calysia Smyers (Akron/Coventry) making the score 17-14 at the 11:41 minute mark of the first half.  The Ladies answered again with seven straight points to go up by double-figures and outscored the Terriers, 27-6, in the final 11:41 to lead 44-20 at the break.

Kenyon continued to pull away in the second half and led by as many as 35 points on two occassions, including a 74-39 margin with 3:42 left in the game.  Hiram scored the final points of the game on another triple by Smyers and a pair of free-throws by sophomore guard Kelsey Koskinen (Madison), but it would be Kenyon who claimed the 74-44 victory.

The Ladies shot 46.6 percent (27-of-58) as a team and had two players score in double-figures.  Kayla Ernst led the team with a game-high 21 points on eight-of-13 shooting to go along with a game-tying high six rebounds.  Maureen Hirt rounded out the high scorers with 19 points and also pulled down six boards.

Hiram shot 26.0 percent (13-of-50) from the field and was led by Smyers' 13 points on four-of-six shooting (66.7 percent).  Junior guard/forward Alexis Kemper (Centerville) was second in scoring with 11 points and Koskinen added 10 points.

Hiram will play its next two games at home beginning with a NCAC game against Ohio Wesleyan University on Wednesday, Jan. 16 as part of a basketball doubleheader with the Terrier men's team.  The women will square off against the Battling Bishops at 6 p.m., followed by the men at 8 p.m.