STANDISH, Maine – Bates College volleyball won a pair of matches – defeating St. Joseph's College of Maine 3-1 and Husson University 3-0 – in its opening day on Friday night at the SJC Autumn Invitational inside the Alfond Center.

In their season opener, the Bobcats (2-0) rallied from a 1-0 deficit to beat the Monks (2-2), 23-25, 27-25, 25-16, 25-13. In the second match of the day for both teams, the Bobcats swept the Eagles (2-4), 25-8, 25-19, 25-16.

Bates will look to capture the tournament title for the second time in three years after winning the event in 2012 and finishing as the runner-up in 2013.

Next, Bates continues play at the SJC Autumn Invitational tomorrow at 10 a.m. vs. Lyndon State College with either a championship or consolation match following at 1 p.m.

Match 1: Bates 3, St. Joseph's 1 (23-25, 27-25, 25-16, 25-13)

Bates won three consecutive games (27-25, 25-16, 25-13) in sets two through four after dropping the first set (23-25) to St. Joseph's to gain a 3-1 victory in its first match of the season.

Junior Brynn Wendel (Boxford, Mass.) led all players with 11 kills while sophomore Chandler McGrath (Seal Beach, Calif.) posted eight kills, eight aces, and 13 digs, and junior Mary Deneen (Windsor, Conn.) had eight kills.

Junior Laryssa Schepel (Flemington, N.J.) registered a team-high 21 digs, senior Tess Walther (Santa Monica, Calif.) recorded a double-double with 19 assists and 17 digs, and junior Nicole Cueli (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) had 10 digs.

Felicia Wachowiak paced St. Joseph's with 10 kills, and Abbie McPhee charted a match-high 27 digs.

The Bobcats opened the first set with an 8-2 lead before St. Joseph's countered with an 11-2 run to take a 13-10 lead. Bates responded with another 8-2 spurt to go ahead 18-15, but the Monks went ahead at 21-20 and held on for the 25-23 set win.

Bates tied the match at 1-1 with a 27-25 victory in the second set, rallying from set point twice and notching the frame's final three points. Neither team held a lead larger than two until the Monks used a 6-0 run to take a 17-13 edge. Bates then knotted the set at 17-17, and the two sides tallied five more ties before the game's conclusion.

In set three, the Bobcats used a 9-2 run to take an early 11-6 lead. Bates then stretched its advantage to 16-8 and maintained at least a four-point edge the rest of the way, claiming nine of the last 13 points in the 25-16 win.

Bates clinched the match with a 25-13 victory in set four, holding beginning at 2-1. The Bobcats built edges of 13-4 and 21-8 in the frame.

Match 2: Bates 3, Husson University 0 (25-8, 25-19, 25-16)

Bates swept Husson in the second match of the night for both teams, 3-0 (25-8, 25-19, 25-16), to start its season 2-0.

Sophomore Nicole Peraica (East Northport, N.Y.) landed a match-high seven kills with a .583 hitting percentage while Wendel contributed five kills on .444 hitting.

Sophomore Hannah Tardie (Orange, Calif.) dished out a match-best 13 assists, and first-year Augy Silver (Manhattan Beach,Calif.) led the defense with eight digs.

Bates held an almost wire to wire lead in set one, building a lead as large as 19 points at 24-5 on its way to a 25-8 set win. With set two tied at 6-6, the Bobcats went on a 9-1 run to claim a 15-7 advantage and maintained at least a four-point edge over the remainder of the set, eventually winning 25-19.

Husson rallied at the start of the third set, taking leads of 8-3 and 13-10. The Bobcats then used a 12-1 streak to gain a 22-14 advantage before finishing the match with a 25-16 victory.