By: Andrew Korba

HIRAM, Ohio -- The Hiram College volleyball team fell in its home opener to non-conference foe Heidelberg on Tuesday evening by a 28-26, 16-25, 25-17, 25-20 score.

The Terriers fall to 2-3 on the season, while the Student Princes are now 4-1.

Senior Lindsay Brewer (New Franklin, Ohio/Manchester) led Hiram with a double-double, finishing with 15 kills and 14 digs.

Senior Katie Barton (Newbury, Ohio) added 11 kills and senior Logan Brewer (New Franklin, Ohio/Manchester) finished with eight.

Junior Laura Kelly (Massillon, Ohio/Jackson) recorded a season-high 22 digs and junior Claire Maier (Huntsville, Ohio/Indian Lake) added 41 assists.

The first set was tight throughout, with neither team holding a larger lead than three.

After Heidelberg jumped in front 25-24, Hiram benefitted from a service error to knot the score at 25-25. A kill by the Student Princes would give them the one point lead, but Barton responded with a kill to tie the score at 26-26.

But the Student Princes were able to win the final two points to capture the opening set 28-26.

In the second set, Hiram used a 8-1 spurt to open up a 18-11 edge. Heidelberg would get to within five at 21-15m but the Terriers got two kills from senior Emily Mortimer (Mogadore, Ohio/Field), a service ace from senior Ashton Webb (Wadsworth, Ohio/Norton) and a kill from Barton to close out the set.

Set 3 saw Heidelberg use a large run to open up a 23-14 advantage. The Student Princes never looked back, taking it by a 25-17 count.

The fourth set was tight in the early going before Heidelberg used a four point spurt to open up a 19-13 lead. Hiram would be unable to get any closer than five points the rest of the set, eventually galling 25-20.

Jamie Kluding led three Student Princes in double figure kills with 11.

The Terriers recorded 51 kills and a .183 hitting mark, while the Student Princes had 46 kills and a hitting percentage of .177.

Hiram will return to action on Friday by playing the first two of four contests at the Marcia French Memorial Invitational. The Terriers will take on Franciscan at 5:30 p.m. and Westminster at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at Baldwin Wallace.