GRANVILLE, Ohio - October 5, 2024 - Hiram bounced back from a slow start and pushed Denison to the brink in a four-set loss on Saturday afternoon at Livingston Gymnasium: 25-14, 22-25, 25-20, 27-25.

Despite losing the first set, 25-14, the Terriers responded and increased their hitting percentage from .050 in the first set to .300 in the second set. The road team would eventually win that second set, 25-22, behind four kills from Sydney Wenzel and two kills by senior Karissa Zelenak.

The shift in momentum wasn't enough to propel Hiram to a conference victory, but the team still recorded 10 kills in both the third and fourth sets. The balanced effort eventually moved the Terriers two points away from forcing a winner-take-all fifth set before the Big Red won the final two points and secured sole possession of first place in the NCAC.

Hiram's mix of experienced veterans and exciting first-year student-athletes filled the stat sheet in the hard-fought defeat; Zelenak had a team-high nine kills, while Wenzel tied with Riley France for second on the roster with seven kills. Junior Kelly Hoffman (14 assists) and freshman Kelly Burdette (11 assists) did the majority of the setting, with senior Emily Richardson recording a match-high six total blocks.

The Terriers are one of six teams in the NCAC to finish the week with a 1-1 record in conference play this season.

Hiram will look to improve upon that record next Saturday, when it hosts DePauw at 1 p.m. from  Price Gymnasium in Hiram, Ohio. The women's volleyball program will also honor its Teams of Distinction prior to the crucial NCAC matchup.