SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University volleyball team opened the 2015 season at the Springfield College Invitational on Friday as the Bears (0-2) dropped a pair of 3-0 decisions to host Springfield and Emmanuel College. 

Springfield 3, Bridgewater State 0 (25-6, 25-16, 25-11)

Kelsey McGayhey (Shelter Island, N.Y.) posted a match-high nine kills at a .571 clip to pace the Pride attack, while Lauren Holt (Granby, Conn.)delivered six kills on eight-errorless attempts to along with five blocks.  Marnae Mawdsley (Bolton, Conn.) and Molly Giannattasio (East Lyme, Conn.) combined for 30 assists, with Mawdsley chipping in eight digs and five service aces.  In her first action in a Springfield uniform, Kayleigh Helgesen (Oceanside, Calif.) tallied seven kills on a .500 hitting percentage.

For Bridgewater, both Clara Goncalves (Dennis, Mass.) and Hannah Maymon (Narragansett, R.I) each had five kills, while Charleyne Panner (Gilford, N.H.) was credited with 13 assists to go along with two aces, four digs and a solo block.  Goncalves led all players with 10 digs as the Bears were limited to a -.014 hitting percentage for the contest.

Emmanuel 3, Bridgewater State 0 -- (25-15, 35-33, 28-26)

Angelica Czercowy (Hebron, Conn.) and Cassie Chruscielski (Duluth, Minn.) paced the Saints with ten and nine kills, respectively. Chruscielski also added ten digs, two aces and a pair of assisted blocks. Sarah Schemerhorn (Los Angeles, Calif.) and Carly Church (Higganum, Conn.) combined for 36 assists, while Brittany Tutalo (Johnston, R.I.) notched four aces, three kills, four digs and four assisted blocks.

For the Bears, Sydney Bennett (North Attleboro, Mass.) led all players with 12 kills. Bennett also added four aces and three assisted blocks. Panner notched 20 assists, six digs and three assisted block, while Maymon tallied eight kills and eight digs. Julie Hutchins (Bellingham, Mass.) chipped in with five kills and four assisted blocks.

Emmanuel rolled to a 25-15 decision in the opening set thanks in large part to a solid .455 hitting percentage. Chruscielski and Czercowy tallied three kills apiece in the set.

Trailing 16-11 in the second set, the Bears used an 8-2 run highlighted by two kills and three assisted blocks by Bennett to take a 19-18 lead. A pair of kills by Goncalves and Bennett and a Bennett ace would push BSU to match point and a 24-20 advantage. After the Saints closed the gap to 24-20, the Bears had two quality chances to close it out, but back-to-back attacking errors evened the score at 24. From there, the two teams exchanged nine points apiece before a BSU attacking error and a Casey Sheehan (Medway, Mass.) service ace gave the Saints the 35-33 win.

The third set was also a back-and-forth affair up until the final points. Back-to-back Emmanuel attacking errors late in the set gave BSU a 24-23 lead.  Consecutive kills from Starr Ripley (Chicopee, Mass.) and Kaitlyn Atkinson (Brookline, N.H.) were answered by kills from Maymon and Bennett as the Bears led 26-25. However, Church and Chruscielski put the Saints back on top and a block by Ripley and Tutalo won the set and the match.

On Saturday, the Bears take on Oneonta State at 10:00 AM and Western Connecticut State at 12:30 PM.