WALTHAM, Mass. – Seniors Allie Rotkin (Cumming, Ga./Milton HS) and Lauren Van Buren (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa HS) played key roles as Bentley University opened its home schedule with a 3-0 win over Merrimack College in Northeast-10 Conference women's volleyball action Tuesday night at the Dana Center. The scores were 25-15, 25-20 and 25-20.

Rotkin provided the assist on 36 of Bentley's 44 kills and also pitched in with nine digs, two blocks, two kills and an ace. Van Buren hit .345 with 12 kills and added six digs and two blocks on the defensive side.

In addition, coach Joey Pacis received a strong showing from freshman middle blocker Rachel Bruno (San Diego, Calif./Frances Parker HS), who was named the co-Rookie of the Week in the conference Monday. She hit an impressive .526 with 11 kills and only one error.

Bentley took charge of the opening set with an early 13-4 spurt making it 15-7. In the second, the Falcons closed with three unassisted points, including a kill from freshman Xio Lopp (Kalispell, Mont./Flathead HS), after the Warriors drew within two, 22-20.

Bentley led the third by just a single point, 20-19, before coming out of a timeout to tally five of the match's final six points. Three of those came on kills by Van Buren that were set up by Rotkin, including the final two.

Also chipping in for the Falcons, who hit a solid .312, were junior libero Celia Cristofoli (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson HS) and junior middle blocker McKenna Buck (Renton, Wash./Holy Names Acad.). Cristofoli made 14 digs and Buck registered seven blocks, tying her career best.

 Junior Mary Kate McCarroll (Harrison, Ohio) had a big match for Merrimack (2-14, 1-1 NE-10), hitting .588 with ten kills and no errors.

Bentley, 2-0 NE-10 and 4-11 overall, will return to action next Tuesday with a home match against Stonehill.