LEWISTON, Maine -- First-year Alyssa Lowther had 13 kills and senior Sydney Phillips added eight as the Bates volleyball team edged Maine Maritime Academy 3-1 (25-22, 21-25, 25-23, 25-20) in the Bobcats' home opener Wednesday night at Alumni Gym.

Bates (2-5) snapped a five-match skid and ended a three-match winning streak for the Mariners (5-4).

Rachel Melampy had a match-high 18 kills for the Mariners, and tied for the match high with 12 digs. Kate Albritton had 31 assists.

After trading sets for a 1-1 tie, Bates staged a late rally to win a pivotal third set. A pair of kills fueled a 5-0 MMA run that gave the Mariners an 18-10 lead in the set. But back-to-back kills by junior Catie Sanchez (Pasadena, Calif.) and Lowther (Wyckoff, N.J.) began a 7-1 Bates run that closed the gap to 19-17. Lowther had two kills in the run and the Mariners committed four attack errors. 

A kill by Melampy pushed MMA's lead to 21-18 and gave her the serve, but a service error began a Bates run of five straight points, including an ace served by junior Charlotte Morris (Manhattan Beach, Calif.), a kill by Phillips, an MMA attack error and another kill by Phillips for a 23-21 Bates lead. Bates gladly traded points the rest of the way, clinching the set and taking a 2-1 lead on a kill by Morris.

A Bates squad feeling more comfortable in the lead controlled the fourth set. Melampy opened the set with a kill, but consecutive kills by Lowther put Bates in the lead for good at 2-1, and were soon expanding it to 7-1 and 10-3.

Bates junior setter Emma Eide (Ramsey, N.J.) recorded her third kill of the match and then put a solo block on a Melampy attack for an 18-9 Bates lead. MMA staged a late 5-0 rally to close the gap from 24-15 to 24-20, including kills by Hunnie Zuber and Briana Mays sandwiching a pair of service aces by Zuber. The run ended on an attack error and a Bates win in head coach Emily Hayes' first match inside Alumni.

Sanchez finished the match with six kills for Bates. Lowther had 10 digs and four blocks in addition to her 13 kills. Eide had 23 assists, 10 digs and three blocks, and Megan Seabury led the hosts with 12 digs.

Bates will play a NESCAC match at rival Colby this Friday at 8pm.