SANDUSKY, Ohio - August 31, 2024 - Hiram had a tough finish on Day 2 of the Cedar Point Invitational, losing to Ohio Northern in three sets and Muskingum in five sets to end a busy weekend that featured four matches in a span of 25 hours.
It was still a strong display by the Terriers, who battled despite losing to a pair of talented teams that had success throughout the event.
Match 1 Recap
The Polar Bears played a combined 10 sets of action on Friday, falling to Case Western Reserve and beating Greenville – both of those opponents had advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2023. The heavy workload against the tough opposition translated to a strong performance on Saturday morning.
Hiram gave Ohio Northern all it could handle, but eventually fell short in straight sets: 25-17, 25-17, 25-17. Emily Richardson (10 kills), Cate Maguire (nine kills) and Andrya Hanmore (seven kills) lifted the Terriers in the offensive department, while Richardson (three blocks) and Brooke Fishback (eight digs) did their part defensively.
Match 2 Recap
A few hours later, Hiram returned to the court and immediately made a statement against another OAC opponent, Muskingum. The Terriers went on a 7-0 run midway through the first set to take a 21-13 lead and eventually a 25-14 first set win. Kelly Hoffman was a key part of the rally, as she served on six of those seven points.
The Fighting Muskies had their best performances in the second, fourth and fifth sets, holding leads as large as five points (second set) and six points (fourth set and fifth set). Hiram kept pace and finished the match with 61 kills against 15 attack errors, which included 16 kills in the team's 25-19 win in the fourth set.
In the fifth set, Hiram pulled ahead with a 5-3 lead behind kills from Richardson and Sydney Wenzel. Muskingum answered by scoring six of the next seven points, a rally that proved to be the difference in the match.
It was a career day for both Hanmore and Morgan Tomblin, who both posted career-highs for kills in a single match with 15 and 14 respectively. Richardson had 12 kills and four blocks to round out another balanced effort.
What's Next
Hiram will head to Berea, Ohio on Wednesday, where it will take on the Baldwin Wallace Yellow Jackets for another non-conference affair at 7 p.m. inside Rudolph Ursprung Gymnasium.
