LEWISTON, Maine – Junior Brynn Wendel landed a match-high 10 kills to propel Bates College volleyball past Saint Joseph's College of Maine, 3-0 (25-11, 25-13, 25-7), on Thursday night at Alumni Gym.

In their home opener, the Bobcats (6-5) totaled 24 aces as a team, recorded a .321 hitting percentage in the first set, and hit .294 in set three to beat the Monks (4-9) for the third time this season. Bates topped Saint Joseph's 3-1 on Sept. 5 and 3-0 on Sept. 6 at the SJC Autumn Invitational.

Senior captain Tess Walther (Santa Monica, Calif.) led the hosts with 12 service aces and 14 assists while junior Nicole Cueli (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) tallied a match-best nine digs.

On the attack, Wendel (Boxford, Mass.) hit .444 in the match. Sophomores Chandler McGrath (Seal Beach, Calif.) and Nicole Peraica (East Northport, N.Y.) each chipped in five kills with McGrath adding six aces.

For Saint Joseph's, sophomore Shadai Gosselin (Somersworth, N.H.) registered a team-best eight digs, and junior Abbie McPhee (Epping, N.H.) notched six assists.

The Bobcats jumped out to a 10-2 lead in the first set and increased their advantage to 13 points at 19-6. Bates won five of the last six points to take the first set, 25-11.

The Monks rallied in set two, remaining within two points at 9-11 after the Bobcats opened the set with a 7-0 lead off Walther's service. Bates held a four-point edge at 16-12 before closing the set on a 9-1 run, largely behind the serve of Walther for the 25-13 victory.

In set three, Bates closed the frame on a 14-0 run after the Monks pulled within 11-7. Walther posted seven aces during the streak to give the Bobcats a 25-7 win in the final stanza.

Next, Bates plays Western Connecticut State and Southern Maine on Saturday beginning at 2 p.m. while Saint Joseph's plays Suffolk and Albertus Magnus on Saturday.

COURTESY OF BATES COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION

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Saint Joseph's College is Maine's only Catholic liberal arts college, providing a supportive, personalized and career-focused education for more than 100 years. From its 430-acre campus on the shores of Sebago Lake, the College offers more than 40 undergraduate programs to a population of approximately 1,000 students. Saint Joseph's College Online provides certificates, undergraduate and advanced degrees for working adults through an online learning program. For more, visit www.sjcme.edu.