WALTHAM, Mass. – The 2017 Bentley University women's volleyball season got off to a positive start Friday with the Falcons winning a pair of matches during the Hoffman Memorial Tournament at the Dana Center.

Playing in a tournament named after their late Hall of Fame coach, Bentley overcame an opening set loss to top Southern New Hampshire University in four, 15-25, 25-13, 25-23 and 25-20. That was followed by a three-set sweep of Mercy College, 25-17, 25-9 and 25-18.

Against the SNHU Penmen in the season's opening match, four Falcons put up double-doubles, including freshman outside hitter Kirsten Segaline (Scottsdale, Ariz./Desert Mountain HS). Her career debut as a collegian featured a match-high 14 kills and 16 digs.

Bentley also received 12 kills and 14 digs from sophomore outside hitter Dani Milner (Plano, Texas/ The Greenhill School), 10 kills and 21 digs from senior outside hitter Shannon Kelly (Hyde Park, N.Y./ Franklin D. Roosevelt HS) and 39 assists and ten digs from junior setter Krista Campbell (Newtown, Pa./ Council Rock North HS).

In the pivotal third set, with the match even at 1-1, the two clubs were knotted at 22 after SNHU picked up four straight points. Kills by sophomore Rachel Bruno (San Diego, Calif./Frances Parker HS) and Kelly returned the lead to Bentley, 24-22, and after a Penmen point, a shared block by Bruno and Milner gave the Falcons the overall lead in the match.

Bentley seized control of the clinching fourth set with an 8-0 run producing a 17-8 lead. That burst included two kills by Kelly and five attack errors by SNHU.

Against Mercy, Bruno powered the Falcons with seven kills and no errors in ten swings. Segaline served three of the team's nine aces, and sophomore Caitlin Corcoran (Trappe, Pa./Perkiomen Valley HS) matched Bruno's kill total while hitting .500.

The tournament continues Saturday with Bentley facing Wilmington (Del.) at 10 am and Caldwell College at 3 pm.