SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. -- The 2009 Volleyball Hall of Fame Women's Invitational kicked off with eight matches this evening. A total of 16 teams are participating in the tournament, which is being hosted by Smith College and Mount Holyoke College.

Now in its 18th year, the tournament has been broken up into two eight-team brackets. Prior to the beginning of the event, the teams were ranked based on their results thus far this season. The top eight teams are competing in the "Gold Bracket" at Smith, while the next eight are playing in the "Silver Bracket" at Mount Holyoke.

In the Silver Bracket, top seeded Middlebury College and second seeded Bowdoin College each picked up 3-0 triumphs. Middlebury downed eighth seeded Mount Holyoke, while Bowdoin upended seventh seeded Gordon College. Fifth seeded Westfield State College and sixth seeded Bridgewater State College each pulled off upset victories in their matches. Westfield State dropped the first set to fourth seeded Colby College but rebounded to win 3-1. Meanwhile, Bridgewater State glided to a 3-0 triumph over third seeded Wheaton College.

Junior setter Natalie Cohen (Marstons Mills, MA) paced Bridgewater State with 37 assists, 10 digs, five aces, three kills and a solo block.  Sophomore middle hitter Shelly DePina (New Bedford, MA) added 13 kills and three solos blocks, while junior outside hitter Julie Clerc (Acushnet, MA) finished with 12 kills, 14 digs, and three aces 

Looking forward to tomorrow, Middlebury will face off against Westfield State, and Bowdoin will take on Bridgewater State in the winner's bracket contests. In the loser's bracket, Mount Holyoke will clash with Colby, and Gordon will meet Wheaton.

The tournament will conclude tomorrow with all 16 teams playing two matches apiece.