OAKDALE, N.Y. – Bentley University freshman Lauren Van Buren (Massapequa Park, N.Y./ Massapequa HS) made 18 kills, the most by a Falcon in nearly two years, but her team was denied in its bid for a 3-0 weekend in the Dowling College Invitational.

Playing in the Dowling Gymnasium Saturday morning, the Falcons were edged by Nyack College in five games with the Warriors rallying from a 2-1 deficit. The decisive fifth-set was a nail-biter with Nyack scoring the final two points to prevail 18-16 after Van Buren's final kill evened the tally at 16 apiece.

The two teams alternated wins during the first four sets with Bentley winning the first 25-13 and the third 25-18. Nyack bounced back to take the second 25-20 and stayed alive with a 25-17 win in the fourth.

Van Buren's day featured six kills in seven swings in the third set and five kills in the opening set. She hit .179 overall and helped out defensively with 13 kills.

Bentley also received 13 kills with a .600 success rate from sophomore Jaci Buscher (Lakewood, Colo./Green Mountain HS) and ten kills from junior Savannah Dominguez (Miami, Fla./Palmer Trinity HS). Dominguez also had three block solos in the match.

Junior setter Alex Tator (Los Angeles, Calif./Marlborough School) finished with 41 assists and 12 digs, and junior libero Lauren Colasanti (Northville, Mich./Northville HS) tied her career-high with 24 digs.

Nyack, 1-2, was led by Abbey Lawson, with 17 kill, and Brianna Kane, with 50 assists.

Bentley, 2-1, will open its home season Wednesday night against Merrimack at 7 pm.