GRANVILLE, Ohio – The Earlham College volleyball team fell to Denison University 3-1 on Tuesday evening.

First-year Lily Virgili was a bright spot of the offense with seven kills and an attack percentage of .455. She also led the team in blocks with four. Ava Walters was the primary setter with 16 assists on the evening. 

Lauren Newcomer served as libero for the opening set with five digs, and Madison Bizjak wore the designation for the final three sets. The freshman also led the Quakers defensively with 16 digs. 

Earlham scored 32 kills, and committed 32 errors as a team.

The Quakers opened up a 24-18 lead  in the opening frame, before Denison mounted six straight points. Earlham managed to break up the run with a kill by Skyler Murray, but the Big Red ended the set on three straight points for a 27-25 win. 

Earlham kept pace with the Big Red in set two, and trailed just 20-18 in the final points. A 6-1 run gave EC the lead 24-21, with two kills by Murray and a service ace from Gabby Gerardi leading the run. Virgili scored a kill off an assist from Walters to end the set 25-23. 

The third set was close until a 9-1 run by the Big Red opened the door for the home squad to take a 25-17 win. Denison then kept the momentum rolling with a 14-3 run early in the final set. 

Earlham travels to New Concord, Ohio this weekend for the Muskingum University tournament. The Quakers are set to take on Baldwin Wallace on Friday at 5 pm to begin the tourney.