HANOVER, Ind. -- Wrapping up its last four-match weekend of the season, the Kenyon College volleyball team closed the book on its time at the Hanover College Invitational on Saturday. The Owls could not claw past a pair of tough teams, falling 3-0 to Rhodes College before a 3-1 defeat at the hands of hosting Hanover.

Kenyon's record dropped to 5-8 overall after the two-match skid. Rhodes improved to 6-4 after beating the Owls, while Hanover stayed perfect at 11-0. Despite losing in straight sets against the Rhodes Lynx, the Owls kept it close in their day's first match, falling by a combined 13 points. Kenyon came close in the first and third sets, but ultimately fell 25-21, 25-18, 26-24 to start the day. Later against Hanover, despite winning a set, Kenyon was outscored by 26 points overall. The Owls fell 25-14, 25-17 before bouncing back with a 25-21 win, but the Panthers clinched the win with a 25-14 set-four victory.

Against the Lynx, Olivia Gumz led the Owls with seven kills on 24 total attacks. Her seven total points trailed only Aura Barinas for the team lead, as Barinas bolstered her three kills with a career-high five aces. Mariyah Rumpca-Veronese paced the Owls with a .286 hitting percentage, notching five kills.

Other Owls leaders included Maggie Wolf with 17 assists and Lauren Blakemore with 10 digs. The duo also led Kenyon against Hanover. Against the Panthers, Wolf dished out a match-high 29 assists, and her 15 digs trailed only Blakemore's 27 on the team. Blakemore's defensive effort led the match and tied her season-high.

Offensively, Gumz again led the way with 13 kills and 14 points, hitting .250 on a team-high 28 attacks. Sophia Menke tied a season-high with nine kills and hit .250, and the sophomore reached 11 points after assisting on a team-high four blocks.

The Owls have a few well-earned days without matches before their next outing. Kenyon will head back to Indiana on Thursday, September 19, to take on Franklin College at 7 p.m. before returning home to host a tri-match on Saturday, September 21, when the Owls will welcome the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg and Franciscan University to Gambier.