Jacqueline Forney goes for one of her team-high nine digs in a 3-0 loss at Bowdoin in the NESCAC quarterfinals on Nov. 6, 2015. (Brian Beard/CIPhotography.com)  

BRUNSWICK, Maine -- The Bates volleyball team's first season under head coach Melissa DeRan came to an end Friday evening, in a 3-0 loss to top-seeded Bowdoin in the quarterfinal round of the NESCAC Volleyball Championship tournament.

The host Polar Bears (21-4) advanced to Saturday's semifinals in straight sets (25-15, 25-9, 25-14) as the Bobcats (10-15) were unable to find any rhythm or momentum, in contrast to last weekend's competitive 3-1 loss to Bowdoin. Bates was credited with only 11 kills, 10 fewer than any other match this season, paired with 19 attack errors for a season-low attack percentage of -.090.

Christy Jewett and Michelle Albright led Bowdoin with nine kills apiece, and Sydney Salle added eight with no errors on 10 attempts (.800). Katie Doherty tallied 20 digs and Quincy Leech distributed 28 assists.

Bates junior Nicole Peraica (East Northport, N.Y.) posted a team-high four kills with no errors on eight attempts (.500). First-year middle hitter Reilly Murphy (Marshfield, Mass.) totaled two solo blocks and a kill, while senior Laryssa Schepel (Flemington, N.J.) had seven digs and three aces.

The Bobcats earned the eighth seed in the tournament with a 3-7 record in NESCAC play this season, their most conference wins since 2004. This was Bates' first NESCAC tournament appearance since 2013.

The match represented the final appearance for five Bobcat seniors: Nicole Cueli (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.), Mary Deneen (Windsor, Conn.), Abby Leberman (Concord, N.H.), Schepel and captain Brynn Wendel (Boxford, Mass.).