CLEVELAND, Ohio– Playing at home for the second straight night, the Case Western Reserve University volleyball team defeated Hiram College, one of the hottest teams in the nation, by a score of 3-1 on Wednesday, September 29 at Horsburgh Gymnasium. The Spartans improve to 13-3 overall and will open University Athletic Association play this weekend with a 10-match winning streak. 

Case has now won 11 of 12 overall, while Hiram falls to 13-7 and sees its five-match win streak, which included a victory versus the No. 4 team in the country, snapped.

Case dropped the first set, 25-17, but fought back to tie the match with a 25-17 win in the second frame. In a wild, back-and-forth third set, Case once again battled back and won 27-25 to take the lead. The Spartans then put the match away in the fourth set, 25-17.

Junior outside hitter Rachael Suchy (Venetia, PA/Peters Township) led the offensive attack with 18 kills with junior middle hitter Tricia McCutchan (Hamilton, OH/Badin) totaling 14. Sophomore setter Breana Freeman (Geneva, OH/Geneva) paced the attack with 40 assists and sophomore libero Rachel Gulasey (Cleveland, OH/Magnificat) led three Spartans in double-figures with 18 digs. 

The Spartans will look to carry their momentum into the UAA Round Robin #1 this weekend at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Case plays Carnegie Mellon University (PA) at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 2 then battles New York University and Emory at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., respectively, on Sunday, Oct. 3.