The Bobcats had reason to celebrate Saturday afternoon as they dominated Emerson. (File Photo by Josh Kuckens/Bates College) 

BOSTON, Mass. -- The Bates volleyball team seems to do their best when they spread the kills around on offense. That's exactly what they did in a 3-1 (25-20, 25-12, 23-25, 25-16) win over Emerson College Saturday afternoon. The victory comes on the heels of a tough 3-1 loss earlier in the day to Framingham State.

The Bobcats (8-13) got 14 kills from Chandler McGrath in the win over the Lions (12-11) but others contributed a lot on offense as well. Lisa Slivken had a great game, finishing with 10 kills and Claire Naughton followed up her 13-kill performance against Framingham State with nine kills against Emerson. Nicole Peraica contributed eight kills and Jacqueline Forney, who is known for her assists, also chipped in with five kills. Forney (22 assists) and Hannah Tardie (17 assists) set up the balanced attack for Bates.

Defensively, Laryssa Schepel tallied 17 digs, McGrath followed up her season-high 19 digs against Framingham with 13 more, and Augy Silver finished with 10.

Bates went on a quick 5-0 run to start the first set Forney tallied three aces and Slivken and Naughton contributed kills. Emerson rallied and actually took a 10-8 lead before the Bobcats struck back with two unanswered to even the set at 10 on a Slivken kill. 

The teams traded points until they found themselves even at 14. Bates took the lead for a good on a kill by Forney. Emerson hung around as the set progressed by back-to-back kills by Peraica and Forney closed it out.

Bates never trailed as they rolled the Lions in set two. They began the set on a 5-0 run, which included back-to-back Silver aces. After Emerson scored a couple points, Bates went on a 6-0 run to extend the lead to 11-2. Schepel contributed a couple of aces during that run.

The Lions pulled to within four at one point at 12-8 but Bates used another run to put them away for good in the set. This 6-0 run came with kills by McGrath and Peraica along with a McGrath ace. The set ended, fittingly, on another 6-0 run. A Silver ace sealed the deal. 

Set three went to Emerson as they prevailed a tight 25-23 battle. 

The Bobcats immediately returned to their dominating ways in the fourth set. Down 4-2, the Bobcats used one of their now patented 6-0 runs to take the lead for good. Naughton tallied a remarkable four kills during the run, including three in a row. The Lions got no closer than two points the rest of the way. 

McGrath's match-high 14th kill ended the set and gave Bates their eighth overall win of 2015.