MT. VERNON, Ohio – The Kenyon College volleyball team stayed in the hunt Tuesday night, but couldn't quite catch the Cougars from neighboring Mount Vernon Nazarene University. The visiting Ladies made late runs in both the first and second sets, but wound up falling to MVNU by scores of 25-20, 25-20 and 25-17.

MVNU senior outside hitter Annelise Rohrer proved to be the difference in the match. She racked up 17 kills in 29 attempts and did not commit an error. Her .586 attack percentage was a good reason the host Cougars put down kills at a team rate of .328.

The Cougars jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the first set, but two MVNU errors combined with kills by Kenyon sophomores Schuyler Stupica and Delaney Swanson, pulled the Ladies within two points at 11-9. Later, two kills from Rohrer pushed MVNU out to a 21-16 lead. A block and kill from Swanson sparked a Kenyon four-point rally, but the Cougars closed out the set with four points of their own. Two of those four points came on Rohrer kills.

Set two was similar. After a tight start, the Cougars pulled away and a pair of kills from Alyson Near gave the host squad a 15-8 lead. Kenyon called a timeout and then rattled off eight of the match's next 11 points. During the run, Swanson put down two kills and Mackenzie Bruzzio added one to get Kenyon within two points again, this time at 18-16.

Rohrer answered with two more MVNU kills and provided enough space for the Cougars to claim another five-point set victory.

The Ladies (10-4) grabbed an early 7-6 lead in the third set, but an ace and three kills from the opposition put the Cougars back in front for good. MVNU (16-2) then sealed the deal by scoring six of the final eight points in the set, including two more kills from Rohrer.

Swanson helped the Ladies' cause with eight kills, three blocks and two aces. Jensen Shurbert served up 29 assists and Bruzzio tacked on team-highs of ten kills and ten digs.

In addition to Rohrer's big night, MVNU received ten kills and two blocks from Alyson Near. Ashley Gingerich tallied 19 digs and Bridget Troyer logged 22 assists.