MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – Bates College volleyball fell to Middlebury College, 3-0 (25-15, 25-16, 25-19), in Middlebury's NESCAC opener on Saturday afternoon at Pepin Gymnasium.

The Panthers (2-4, 1-0 NESCAC) swept the Bobcats (5-5, 0-2 NESCAC), registering a .293 hitting percentage in the first set and hitting .323 in the second frame.

Sophomore Chandler McGrath (Seal Beach, Calif.) paced the Bobcats with seven kills to go with five digs.

Defensively, junior Laryssa Schepel (Flemington, N.J.) posted seven digs while classmate Nicole Cueli (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) and first-year Augy Silver (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) each totaled five digs.

For the Panthers, Emily Kolodka and Olivia Kolodka each landed 10 kills, Hannah Blackburn handed out a match-high 34 assists, and Lizzy Reed compiled a match-best 11 digs.

In the first set, Bates remained within two points at 11-9 before the Panthers won the next five points to take a 16-9 lead. Middlebury extended its lead to 10 points at 23-13 on the way to the 25-15 set win.

The Bobcats trailed 10-6 in set two when Middlebury earned the next 10 points to stretch their advantage to 20-6. Bates rallied over the remainder of the frame before the Panthers gained a 25-16 decision in the game.

Bates challenged Middlebury in the third set, opening the game with a 10-9 edge. The Panthers then went on a 9-2 run to claim an 18-12 advantage and held off the Bobcats at the end of the set in the 25-19 victory.

Next, Bates hosts St. Joseph's College of Maine in its home opener on Thursday at 7 p.m. while Middlebury hosts Hamilton on Friday at 8 p.m.