DELAWARE, Ohio – The Kenyon College Ladies volleyball team had a hard time getting out of first gear in Friday night's first match of the six-team Ohio Wesleyan University Invitational. Kenyon's opponent, the Thomas More College Saints, used a 13-0 run in the first set and ran away with a 25-8, 25-16, 25-22 victory.

Kenyon (6-3) was playing short-handed against Thomas More (6-4), a team that went 21-10 last season and lost in the championship game of the Presidents' Athletic Conference tournament. The Ladies were without sophomore Mackenzie Bruzzio and junior Delaney Swanson. Even with missing time, those two still lead the Ladies in kills with 84 and 82, respectively.

Thomas More took full advantage of their absence. With a 10-7 lead in set one, the Saints went on a roll that sparked them to victory. A combined total of five kills from Madison Krumpelman and Jenna Mummert, as well as four aces from Alli Borders, ignited a 13-0 outburst that the Saints used to cruise to a first-set win.

In set two, Kenyon got its first lead of the day with four straight points after initially falling behind 2-0. The lead was short-lived, however, as the Saints went on a 10-3 tear that gave them a 12-7 lead. Kenyon responded with three more points, but the two-point deficit (12-10) would be as close as the Ladies would get the rest of the way.

Throughout the match, the Ladies showed obvious signs of a depleted attack. They posted a season-low 15 kills, as well as a season-low -.022 attack percentage.

Despite the struggles, the Kenyon women didn't throw in the towel. They forged ahead and pushed the Saints to the limit in the third set. Seven of Kenyon's 15 kills on the night came in the third and final set. Carly Uhlir, Haley Witschey and Maleah Miller each had two of those kills.

The Ladies jumped in front 7-5 after a five-point swing that included kills from Witschey and Miller. From there, the match ended up with seven tied scores, the last of which was 21-21. The Saints went on to close things out by scoring four of the match's final five points.

Witschey, Miller and Schuyler Stupica all finished the match with four kills each for Kenyon. Senior Rachael Thorson posted a team-high 16 digs, while classmate Jensen Shurbert chalked up ten assists.

Thomas More was paced by 10 kills from Mummert and six aces from Borders. Overall, the Saints threw down 42 kills and 13 aces.

Kenyon will try to recuperate overnight and get back on the court Saturday with matches against Grove City College at 10 a.m. and Adrian College at 12 p.m.