NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – Senior outside hitter Jaci Buscher (Lakewood, Colo./Green Mountain HS) recorded 17 kills and freshman setter Krista Campbell (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North HS) delivered 40 assists as Bentley University opened its Northeast-10 Conference schedule with a 3-1 win over Merrimack College in college volleyball action on Hammel Court.

It was the fifth straight win for the Falcons, who improved to 6-4 overall with the 25-18, 25-21, 24-26, 25-22 decision.

Buscher was a factor from the start as she hit .533 with eight kills and no errors in the opening set. Eleven of Campbell's assists came in the set and she provided set-point with the first of Bentley's eight aces in the match.

In the second, after the Warriors (3-6, 0-1 NE-10) shaved a nine-point Falcon led to two, kills from sophomore Shannon Kelly (Hyde Park, N.Y./Franklin D. Roosevelt HS) and Buscher made it a 2-0 contest.

The fourth set was even at 22-all before Bentley closed out the match with three unanswered points. Kills by seniors Stephanie Metzger (Georgetown, Texas/Liberty Hill HS) and Shelby Kreienberg (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Mendon HS) were sandwiched around a Buscher kill.

Bentley hit a season-best .229 with Buscher leading the way with a .340 success rate. Kelly also reached doubles in kills (11 to go along with seven digs and two aces). Buscher, in addition to racking up the 17 kills, had two blocks, two aces and five digs with her 20.5 points matching a season-best.

Senior libero Jessica Segal (West Harrison, N.Y./Harrison HS) gave Bentley 19 digs and Metzger was involved in four of the team's eight blocks.

Merrimack was led by freshman Jennifer Cain (Melrose), with 20 kills, and junior Tara Stuhr (Huntington Beach, Calif.), with 44 assists, 11 digs and four aces.

 Bentley will return to action Saturday with matches against Daemen and Mercy in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.