GRANVILLE, Ohio (September 2, 2022) – The Denison University volleyball team began its new 2022 season with a strong 3-0 (25-16, 25-9, 25-18) victory over Houghton College during the first match of the Big Red Invitational on Friday night inside Livingston Gymnasium.

It was the first ever matchup between Denison (1-0) and Houghton (0-1) as the Big Red used an 8-0 run early in the first set to jump out to a 13-6 lead and never looked back.

Sophomores Kelly McCaskey and Cailey Johns both recorded two kills during the 8-0 run in the first set before senior Lucy Anderson popped off with five kills in the second set.

The Big Red hit .259 percent with 12 kills in the opening set and then led 17-7 in the second set before finishing the frame with a .400 hitting percentage and limiting Houghton to -.222 percent.

In the third set, back-to-back service aces by Anderson put the Big Red ahead 11-6, and an ace by freshman Ellie Martin ended it as Denison had five total aces in the frame.

Anderson finished with nine kills and four blocks for the match while senior Sidney Gossard added six kills and McCaskey had five.

Junior setter Kirby MacKinnon led Denison with 17 assists while freshman Alice Kempf added 10, and junior libero Jenna Corrao reached double digits in digs with 10.

The Big Red Invitational will continue on Saturday, September 3, as Denison plays Centre College at 12 p.m. and then finishes off the weekend against the team ranked No. 23 in the AVCA Division III Preseason Coaches' Poll, Ohio Northern University, at 6 p.m.