PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The Bridgewater State University volleyball team split a pair of matches during day one of the Johnson & Wales University Fall Classic on Friday afternoon.  The Bears downed WPI in their opening match, 3-0 (26-24, 25-18, 25-15), before falling to Western Connecticut State University, 3-0 (25-23, 25-21, 26-24), in the nightcap.

In the 3-0 win over WPI, the Bears trailed in the opening set, 23-17, but then rattled off nine of the final 10 points, including staving off three set points.  Bridgewater would never trail again the rest of the match.

The Bears received eight kills and eight digs from Danielle Dean (Gilford, NH), while Michelle Atkins (Chelsea, MA) totaled seven kills and two blocks (one solo).  The Bears service game may have been the difference, as BSU totaled 11 aces, including five by Charleyne Panner (Gilford, NH), who also doled out 20 assists.  Sydney Bennett (North Attleboro, MA) added five kills, three aces and three blocks (one solo).

Holly Ganser (Seward, AK) registered a match-best 10 kills for the Engineers, while Sarah Cook (New Paltz, NY) amassed six and Maddy Werth (Bedford, MA) five.  Meyer led all players with 21 assists and Cook and Werth both were credited with six digs.

In the loss to Western Connecticut, all three sets were decided by four points or less. The Bears have, in fact, dropped a pair of 3-0 decisions to the Colonials this season with four of the six sets being decided by just two points and one set by four.

Bridgewater struggled on the attack in the loss to Western hitting at just a .113 clip and recording 22 errors.

Kristen Robillard (Swansea, MA) paced the Bears with 14 digs and four aces.  Dean notched 13 digs, six kills and an ace, while Hannah Maymon (Narragansett, RI) tallied a team-best eight kills to go along with four digs.  Panner finished with ten assists and six digs, and Melanie Appleman (Hyannis, MA) added eight assists, five kills and five digs.

Melanie Lombardi (Danbury, CT) led the Colonials with 11 kills and two assisted blocks, while Nina Wojtkiewicz (Griswold, CT) registered ten kills, eight digs and an ace. Jennifer Hogan (Franklin Square, NY) and Danielle Kaminski (Southington, CT) combined for 26 assists with Hogan leading all players with 14.

The tournament continues for the Bears on Saturday with a 10 AM match versus host Johnson & Wales.