SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – Playing without three regular starters, the Kenyon College volleyball team could not keep pace Wednesday night with No. 3-ranked Wittenberg University. The host Tigers remained perfect in North Coast Athletic Conference play and won their ninth consecutive match by defeating the Ladies 25-11, 25-21, 25-18.

Doing their best to deal with a variety of injuries, the Ladies trotted out a starting lineup that contained five players who were freshmen or sophomores. That youth was no match for the veteran Wittenberg squad, which improved to 15-3 overall and 7-0 in the NCAC. Kenyon, which has dropped its last three matches, is now 14-9 overall and 3-3 in the conference.

The effects of the Kenyon changes showed up throughout the team's stat line. The Ladies had a total of just 29 kills and produced a season-low .053 hitting percentage. The Ladies also had 23 attack errors, the second-highest total of the season, as well as just 25 assists, the third-lowest total of the season.

Wittenberg dominated the first set, running out to leads of 12-4 and 20-8. Maddie Fischer set the tone early with four kills and one service ace. She and three other Wittenberg starters sat out sets two and three, which Kenyon kept competitive.

In set two, junior Grace Riley blasted five kills for Kenyon and freshman Mackenzie Bruzzio added three. The Ladies jumped out to a 5-0 lead, but Wittenberg caught up at 7-7 and then took the lead for good at 9-8. The Ladies fell behind by as many as seven, but made a strong push at the end to cut their deficit to four.

Kenyon never led in set three, but did manage to tie the score three times and also pulled within a point of Wittenberg nine different times. Bruzzio had four more kills in the final set and finished the match with a team-high nine kills.

Riley finished with seven kills while Annmarie Magnus stepped in the starting setter's role to post 22 assists. Junior libero Rachael Thorson led the back row with 13 digs and defensive specialist Ashley Martens added eight.

As the Ladies try to get healthy and aim for postseason play, they'll next face Allegheny College in a Saturday road match that will get underway at 1 p.m.