HIRAM, Ohio -- After a solid start to the 2015 campaign, the Kenyon College Ladies volleyball team has found itself heading in the opposition direction. The Ladies lost their fifth straight match on Saturday on the road against the Hiram Terriers, 25-19, 25-19, 25-15. The loss dropped Kenyon to 0-4 in North Coast Athletic Conference play, 6-8 overall.

The Ladies were unable to overcome a slow start. Hiram took a 7-2 lead in the first set before Kenyon was able to gain any momentum. Service aces by Tierney McClure and Jensen Shurbert, as well as a trio of kills and a block by Delaney Swanson, pulled the Ladies within one point at 14-13. Hiram, however, never gave up the lead and finished off the set with a pair of kills by Lindsay Brewer.

The second set saw even play until the final stages. Back-to-back kills from Swanson and Shurbert again pulled the Ladies within one point at 20-19, but Hiram responded with two kills and two service aces from Marissa Jay to close out the set.

After a 4-1 Kenyon run in the third set, Hiram called a timeout with a 14-13 lead. When the Terriers returned to the floor they rattled off an 11-2 run to close things out.

Swanson finished with a team-high 15 kills and a .500 hitting percentage. McClure had seven kills, Schuyler Stupica had four kills, Katie Goulder had three and Shurbert registered two.

Despite the loss, the Ladies finished with an attack percentage of .226, their best since going .227 in a win at Earlham College on September 16.

Shurbert also had 27 assists and was the Ladies' leader on defense with nine digs. McClure finished with six digs. Swanson added five more digs and had the team's only solo block.

Brewer led Hiram (14-5, 3-1 NCAC) with 11 kills. Katie Barton, Emily Mortimer and Logan Brewer each had nine kills. Hiram finished with a .441 hitting percentage, the best for any Kenyon opponent this season.

The Ladies will try to right the ship Friday night, Oct. 9, with a 7 p.m. home match again Rose-Hulman at Tomsich Arena. Kenyon will then host the four-team Kenyon College Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 10.