ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Junior Savannah Dominguez (Miami, Fla./Palmer Trinity HS) put up a strong performance in her return to her home state, but her Bentley University Falcons dropped three close sets to the University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras Friday afternoon during the Eckerd College Volleyball Classic at McArthur Gym.

In their second match of the day, the Falcons were swept for the second time, falling to the host team in three (25-18, 25-15, 25-22).

Against Rio Piedras, Bentley put up a battle in all three sets, falling 25-20, 25-21 and 25-21. The opening set was tied at 21 and the Falcons were up 19-18 late in the second. In the third, the Gallitos ran off four straight points to grab a 13-9 lead and remained in front the rest of the match.

Dominguez finished with 11 kills and a .588 success rate. In both the first and third sets, she recorded four kills without an error.

Bentley also received nine kills and nine digs from sophomore Jaci Buscher (Lakewood, Colo./ Green Mountain HS) and eight kills from junior Tatiana Froehlich (Newton/Newton North HS). Junior setter Alex Tator (Los Angeles, Calif./Marlborough School)  registered 27 assists.

Rio Piedras, off to a 2-0 start to the season, was powered by Maria Delgado Adorno, with a dozen kills and two blocks.

Lindsay Biggs led 4-2 Eckerd in its victory over the Falcons, with a match-high ten kills and 14 digs. Half of those kills came in the clinching set, which was the closest of the three. Bentley had a 22-21 lead before the Tritons picked up the final four points, the first two on kills by Biggs.

For Bentley, Buscher had seven kills, Tator amassed 23 assists, junior libero Lauren Colasanti (Northville, Mich./Northville HS) made 16 digs and Dominguez served three aces.

The tournament continues Saturday with Bentley, 3-3 overall, facing Wilmington (Del.) at 11 am and Nova Southeastern at 3:30 pm.