STANDISH, Maine – Bates College volleyball won the SJC Autumn Invitational title with a pair of 3-0 wins over Lyndon State College and St. Joseph's College of Maine, winning the event for the second time in three years, on Saturday at the Alfond Center.

The Bobcats (4-0) opened the day with a 3-0 (25-19, 25-13, 25-19) win over the Hornets (2-3) in the morning session before capturing the tournament championship with a sweep of the host Monks (3-3) in the afternoon, 3-0 (29-27, 25-12, 25-13).

Bates also won the event in 2012 and finished as the runners-up last season.

Next, Bates begins play in the MIT Invitational on Friday with two matches at Endicott College – vs. Suffolk University (6 p.m.) and Endicott (8 p.m.).

Match 1: Bates 3, Lyndon St. 0 (25-19, 25-13, 25-19)

Bates swept its opponent for the second time in as many matches, beating Lyndon St. 3-0 (25-19, 25-13, 25-19) in the morning opener for both teams.

Junior Nicole Cueli (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) tallied nine service aces and 11 digs for the Bobcats while first-year Augy Silver (Manhattan, Beach, Calif.) chipped in another 11 digs.

Sophomore Gabby O'Leary (Wynnewood, Pa.) recorded five kills and nine digs, and junior Abby Leberman (Concord, N.H.) posted five kills and six digs.

With the first set tied at 8-8, the Bobcats scored eight straight points behind the service of junior Mary Deneen (Windsor, Conn.) to take a 16-8 lead. Bates maintained at least at least a five-point edge over the rest of the frame on its way to a 25-19 set win.

The second set followed a similar script as the two teams knotted the score at 8-8 before the Bobcats outscored the Hornets 17-5 over the remainder of the set, beginning with a 9-2 streak. Cueli closed the set with three aces. The Bobcats claimed the third frame, 25-19, with neither team gaining a lead larger than five points until the set's waning moments.

Lyndon St.'s Joy Piper paced all players with six kills.

Match 2: Bates 3, St. Joseph's 0 (29-27, 25-12, 25-13)

Bates recorded its third straight sweep with a 3-0 (29-27, 25-12, 25-13) win over St. Joseph's in the championship match of the SJC Autumn Invitational.

Sophomore Chandler McGrath (Seal Beach, Calif.) notched a team-high eight kills to go with seven digs while Deneen contributed six kills on .462 hitting.

Leberman registered a match-best six aces alongside 12 digs, junior Laryssa Schepel (Flemington, N.J.) charted 18 digs, and sophomore Hannah Tardie (Orange, Calif.) handed out 15 assists.

In the opening set, Bates pulled out a 29-27 win in extra points. After the two teams traded the lead throughout much of the game, the Monks gained set point at 24-21 with a 5-0 run. The Bobcats responded with three straight points to tie it at 24-24. Bates rallied from set point two more times and closed the game with three straight points.

The Bobcats channeled their momentum from the end of set one into set two, taking leads of 9-1 – with seven consecutive points coming off Leberman serves – and 17-5. The visitors saw the set through with the 25-12 victory.

Bates finished the match with a 25-13 win in the final set. The Bobcats jumped out to a 12-5 lead, and although the Monks cut their deficit to 12-9, Bates countered with a 7-1 run to take a 19-10 advantage it would hold for the duration.

For St. Joseph's, Felicica Wachowiak totaled eight kills, Abbie McPhee recorded a match-high 20 digs, and Alli Hollander paced all players with 18 assists.