MEADVILLE, Pennsylvania - September 16, 2023 - Hiram beat Fredonia in straight sets and lost to John Carroll in its final two games at the Allegheny Invitational at the David V. Wise Center on Saturday.
Emily Richardson led the team with 9 kills in the first game before Cate Maguire recorded 9 kills of her own in the second game. Erin Burke combined for 25 assists over the two games, while Brooke Norris took control on the defensive end with 26 digs throughout the day.
It marks the end to an exciting weekend for the Terriers, who rang the bell upon their return to the Hiram College campus. The team went 2-2 in the 24-hour span, and now has momentum with the conference season right around the corner.
Richardson was named to the Allegheny Invitational All-Tournament Team for her efforts in the four games.
Game 1 Recap: 3-0 Win vs Fredonia
Hiram trailed 9-5 early in the first set before rattling off six straight points, five of which came on the serve of Claire Brunner. Shortly thereafter, the team went on another big run on Sophia Grdina's serve to take a 19-14 lead – an advantage that would hold the rest of the first set.
More of the same rhythmic play came about in the second and third sets, with the Terriers never trailing by more than three points during that span. Brunner had a pair of service aces towards the end of the second set and Richardson spiked a pair of kills at the end of the third set to seal the win.
The Terriers had four different student-athletes record at least 3 kills in the match: Richardson (9), Maguire (8), Brooke Fishback (3) and Andrya Hanmore (3). The program is now 2-0 in the all-time series against Fredonia (won 3-0 last season).
Game 2 Recap: 3-1 Loss to John Carroll
The Terriers would lose the first set to the Blue Streaks, 25-12, before finding their stride in a pair of highly competitive second and third sets. The team's first five kills in the second set all came from different players, including Hanmore and Karissa Zelenak.
It was a seesaw battle in the set, with neither team gaining an advantage larger than three points. Hiram had 15 of its 32 kills in the set, but John Carroll did just enough to pull out a two-set advantage, 25-23.
Hiram trailed 22-10 in the third set before showing some fight; it won 9 of the last 12 points in the match to cap off the weekend in high spirits.
What's Next
Hiram will travel to Alliance, Ohio on Wednesday and take on the Purple Raiders at 7 p.m.
