WALTHAM, Mass. – The Saint Anselm volleyball team opened Northeast-10 Conference play at Bentley Tuesday night, but fell to the host Falcons 19-25, 23-25, 27-25, 17-25.

Bentley (5-4, 1-0 NE-10) started the first set on fire, tallying 16 kills on a blistering .448 hitting percentage. Saint Anselm (5-3, 0-1 NE-10) would make defensive adjustments in sets two and three, but an error-plagued fourth set proved too much for the Hawks to overcome.

Three Hawks tallied double-digit kills, including a match-high 12 from freshman outside Kathryn Teets (Dix Hills, N.Y.). Freshman middle Amanda Williams (North Andover, Mass.) recorded 11 kills while sophomore right side Brennah Gladwill (Citrus Heights, Calif.) added 10.

Senior setter Natalie Steinwart (Aurora, Ill.) dished out 36 assists in the four-set match, while Steinwart and senior libero Melissa Jewett (Newton, Mass.) chipped in a team-high 10 digs.

For the match, Bentley outhit Saint Anselm .242 to just .116, tallying seven more kills and eight fewer errors than the visiting Hawks.

Saint Anselm will step out of NE-10 play with a busy three-match weekend slate at Stoutenburgh Gym. Friday, the Hawks welcome the University of Montevallo (Ala.) in a 6:00 p.m. start before hosting Georgian Court and Merrimack for a Sunday tri-match starting at 11:00 a.m.

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