ALLIANCE, Ohio - September 20, 2023 - The Terriers women's volleyball team put together three competitive sets on Wednesday evening, keeping within striking distance before ultimately falling short to Mount Union at Timken Gymnasium: 19-25, 21-25, 20-25.
Hiram had three student-athletes with at least 8 kills in the match: Emily Richardson (13), Cate Maguire (9) and Claire Brunner (8). The assist totals were also balanced, with Brooke Fishback (16) and Erin Burke (14) leading the way. With 16 digs, Brooke Norris notched more than 10 digs for the fifth straight game.
The abundance of contributions moved the Terriers another step closer toward conference play, which begins on Saturday against Wooster. Hiram is coming off a semifinal appearance in last year's NCAC Tournament.
Brunner accounted for 3 of her team's first six kills, which put Hiram at just a two-point deficit, 13-11, midway through the first set. Then came multiple swings in momentum – Mount Union had two separate runs of five straight points, while Hiram had a four- and three-point run of its own. The back-and-forth action ended when a Purple Raider kill snapped a 3-0 Hiram run to wrap up the first set.
Neither team scored more than four straight points in the second set, with Hiram staying strong throughout to prevent Mount Union from pulling away. Richardson had 7 of the team's 15 kills in the set, as the team's offensive identity continued to take form. Mount Union would score the final three points to eventually pull ahead by two sets in the match, but Hiram was clicking on the offensive end.
Hiram again was right where it wanted to be in the third set, playing strong defense and getting ahead, 9-8. Maguire notched 3 of her 9 kills in the set, including the team's final two kills of the match on assists from Burke. Mount Union ended up sealing the match behind a 15-kill performance by Heaven Bartell and 12 kills from Sydney Mercer.
One of the most important parts of the season will begin on Saturday, when Hiram opens up its NCAC schedule against the Fighting Scots at 12 p.m. from Wooster, Ohio.
