BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The visiting Framingham State University volleyball team posted a 3-0 (27-25, 25-22, 25-22) Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) victory over Bridgewater State University on Tuesday night at the Tinsley Center. The match marked the MASCAC opener for both teams.

The Rams improve to 11-2 (1-0 MASCAC) on the season, while the Bears fall to 1-5 (0-1 MASCAC). Framingham has won 18 straight matches against the Bears dating back to 2011.

Graduate outside hitter Anna Szymanski (Harwinton, Conn.) paced Framingham State with a match-best 14 kills to go along with two aces and a solo block. Freshman middle hitter Natalie Reynolds (Beverly, Mass.) added ten kills, one ace and solo block for the Rams while freshman outside hitter Jaimee Lowe (Schenectady, N.Y.) notched seven kills, three assists, two aces and 11 digs. Sophomore setter Stella Bailey (Wrentham, Mass.) dished out a match-best 29 assists. Freshman libero Anneli DiVirgilio (Brookline, N.H.) contributed 13 digs and a pair of aces, and sophomore defensive specialist Carly Beaulieu (Sutton, Mass.) checked in with ten digs and four aces.

Freshman middle hitter Lily Welch (Whitman, Mass.) led the way for Bridgewater State with seven kills, a match-best .462 hitting percentage as well as five digs, three solo blocks and an ace. Sophomore right side Meaghan Coutu (Brookline, N,H.) added seven kills and three solo blocks for the Bears, while sophomore outside hitter Kim Gowell (Durham, N.H.) notched six kills, three aces and four digs, and freshman libero Lilly Misay (New Bedford, Mass.) led all players with 15 digs to along with a pair of aces. Senior setter Bethany Votta (Cumberland, R.I.) handed out 22 assists and added seven digs and ace. Freshman right side Xin Ai Robinson (Evans Mills, N.Y.) tallied a match-high five aces.

Framingham trailed 18-11 in the opening set before a 7-0 run jumpstarted by a Szymanski kill and an ace helped the Rams rally for win. A With the score knotted at 25-25, a kill by Szymanski followed by a Bailey ace gave the visitors a 1-0 lead.

The second set featured eight ties. The Bears trailed 22-19 following a Beauieu ace. A Framingham attacking error followed by a Welch block, however, made it a one-point game (22-20). Welch then answered a BSU serving error with kill to keep the deficit at one, 23-22. The Rams then closed out the set with back-to-back kills from senior middle hitter Hailey Sanders (Frankln, Mass.) and Reynolds.

Bridgewater seemed poised to get back in the match in the third set after a 5-0 spurt gave the Bears a 20-13 lead. Coutu and sophomore outside hitter Sarah Brogioli (Milford, Mass.) capped off the run with back-to-back kills. The Rams, however, scored nine of the next ten points to jump ahead, 22-21. Lowe and Sanders registered two kills apiece during the 9-1 run while Beaulieu tallied a pair of aces. A Framingham serving error knotted the set at 22-22. A Sanders' kill followed by a BSU attacking put the Rams at match point. Lowe then gave the Rams the 3-0 sweep with a match-ending ace.

The Bears are off until Thursday, October 5th when they host Rhode Island College at six o'clock. The Rams entertain Suffolk University this Thursday evening also at six.