FRAMINGHAM, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University volleyball team opened conference play with a 3-0 setback to host Framingham State University in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) contest on Tuesday evening at the Athletic Center.

With the win, the Rams improve to 3-4 on the year and are now 1-0 in the MASCAC, while the Bears dip to 0-5 overall and 0-1 in conference play.

The Rams jumped out to a 12-2 lead in the opening set behind strong serving from junior Vicki Anderson (Attleboro, Mass.). The Bears chipped away pulling within six at 23-17 before the Rams closed the frame with back-to-back points on errors by the Bears taking the frame 25-17.

The Rams staked themselves to a seven point lead (18-11) in the second set and held a comfortable 24-19 advantage later in the frame. The Bears, however, stormed back with four straight points on a pair of Framingham attacking errors sandwiched around back-to-back kills by sophomore Elizabeth Roberts (Swansea, Mass.) and senior Clara Goncalves (Dennis, Mass.). But a BSU attacking error gave the Rams a 25-23 win and a 2-0 lead in the match.

In the third set, the Rams led 9-8 before rattling off a 9-3 run capped off by back-to-back aces from Anderson to take control of the frame. The Bears never threatened following the run as the Rams secured the set, 25-16, and the victory in the match.

Anderson finished the game with five service aces and nine digs for the hosts, while senior Alycia Rackliffe (Feeding Hills, Mass.) racked up a double-double with a match-best 12 kills and 13 digs. Sophomore Mackenzie Whalen (Norton, Mass.) was solid for the Rams with 17 set assists and 14 digs, while junior Sarah Leonard (Southborough, Mass.) added 11 digs.

Sophomore Erin Clifford (Hanson, Mass.) paced the Bears with six kills and three blocks (one solo) to go along with four digs. Roberts also finished with six kills, while senior Hannah Maymon (Narragansett, R.I.) notched a team-best seven kills. Senior Charleyne Panner (Gilford, N.H.) tallied 23 set assists as well as ten digs, while sophomore Cassidy Tyros (Chelmsford, Mass.) and Alyssa Kelley (Mansfield, Mass.) added 14 and 11 digs, respectively.

With her seven kills, Maymon increased her career total to 991 as she closes in on the 1,000-kill milestone.

The Rams are back in action at home on Thursday night when they host Mount Ida at 7 p.m., while the Bears have their home opener on Thursday at 6 p.m. against UMass Dartmouth.