GOLDEN, Colo.  – The Bentley University Falcons dropped a pair of 3-0 decisions Friday as their season got underway with the Courtyard and Residence Inn by Marriott Oredigger Volleyball Classic at the Colorado School of Mines' Lockridge Arena. The Falcons lost their season-opener to Wayne State College (Neb.), the number 20 team in the preseason AVCA Division II national rankings, and also fell to Minnesota State-Mankato.

Wayne State prevailed by scores of 25-13, 25-12 and 25-10, and the scores against Minnesota State were 25-15, 25-19 and 25-17.

Against Minnesota State, sophomore Lauren Van Buren (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa HS) and junior Jaci Buscher (Lakewood, Colo./Green Mountain HS) led Bentley with seven and six kills, respectively. Senior setter Alex Tator (Los Angeles, Calif./Marlborough School) delivered 25 assists and senior libero Lauren Colasanti (Northville, Mich./Northville HS) made a team-best eight digs.

Sophomore Krista Hassing (Blue Earth, Minn.) led the 2-0 Mavericks with 14 kills and a .458 hitting percentage. Freshman Sydney Powell (Lindstrom, Minn.) was also productive, hitting .360 with a dozen kills, and junior Ellie De Steeg (Hutchinson, Minn.) registered 40 assists in the three-set victory.

Senior All-Region middle hitter Savannah Dominguez (Miami, Fla./Palmer Trinity HS) led Bentley in kills against Wayne, finishing with seven. Tator had 14 assists and Colasanti had 14 digs.

Sophomore Alyssa Frauendorfer (Humphrey, Neb.) powered the Wildcats with 12 kills, two aces and a .400 hitting percentage.

The difficult competition continues Saturday with Bentley meeting Minnesota State-Moorhead at noon ET and 18th-ranked Colorado Mines at 4 ET.