HIRAM, Ohio – October 23, 2024 – Hiram found its dominant form when it needed it the most.

The Terriers women's volleyball team rolled to a straight-set victory over Kenyon on Wednesday evening at Price Gymnasium: 25-16, 25-21, 25-19. The win moves Hiram up to fifth place in the NCAC standings, with the top six teams in the final regular-season standings advancing to the NCAC Tournament.

Cate Maguire had one of the best performances of her career to lead the home team, as she picked up her second career match with at least 20 kills (20 kills on Wednesday, 24 kills vs Oberlin last season). It's also tied for the third-most kills in a three-set match in program history, trailing only Lindsay Brewer (22 vs Allegheny in 2014) and Shana Toth (22 at Case Western in 2003).

Emily Richardson added eight kills, while Kelly Hoffman (22 assists) and Brooke Norris (19 digs, four service aces) filled out the other major categories. The contributions gave Hiram a commanding advantage throughout the match; the Terriers never trailed by more than one point over the three sets.

The tone was set right from the start, with Hiram scoring the first nine points of the match, eight of which came on the serve of Norris. Maguire had five kills during that 9-0 run, silencing the opposing bench and erupting a home crowd that was seeking a second conference win.

Maguire finished the first set with 10 kills to give her team the 1-0 lead in the match. Kenyon pulled within five points later in the set, but the serving of Sophia Grdina and Samantha Telisman kept the momentum in favor of the Terriers.

The second set didn't start with the same burst of scoring, but Hiram again pulled ahead, 7-4, with Richardson emerging on the offensive end. The senior from Brunswick, Ohio finished the set with a team-high five kills and the Terriers won seven of the last eight points in the set to take a two-set lead.

The balance of the Hiram roster was on full display in the third set, with the team recording 16 kills during that span, its most in any set of the match. Five different Terriers student-athletes had a kill in the third set, with Maguire adding another seven to her remarkable total of 20.

Maguire had a .429 hitting percentage in the match, giving her seven matches this season with a hitting percentage of at least .400.

Hiram will now turn its attention to Saturday, when it will host Wittenberg at 1 p.m. inside Price Gymnasium. Before the match, Hiram Athletics will honor 12 seniors as part of Senior Day.