GREENCASTLE, Ind. – Despite winning the fourth set 25-15, Denison volleyball fell to DePauw University 3-2 (25-22, 22-25, 22-25, 25-15, 11-15) on Saturday afternoon at Neil Fieldhouse in Greencastle, Indiana. Saturday's match opened North Coast Athletic Conference play for both teams.

The Big Red took control in the first set and earned a 25-22 victory thanks to seven kills by senior Leah Reinfranck. DePauw won the next two sets, but Emma Woerner and Katie Aucamp combined for eight kills to win the fourth set, 25-15, and forced a fifth and final set.

The Tigers finished the match in the fifth set as Morgan Stearley and Suzanne Peters combined for a total of seven kills to hand Denison their first conference loss of the season.

Reinfranck led the match with 20 total kills while Woerner and Aucamp added 12 kills each. Freshman Kaila Kasper contributed 11 kills and 21 digs for the Big Red.

DePauw's Stearley and Peters combined for 33 kills and 30 digs, while Keegan Kollias paced the Tigers with 45 assists.

The Big Red will return to Livingston Gymnasium next Tuesday, Sept. 26 for a non-conference match-up with Ohio Northern University. The match is set to begin at 7 p.m.