WALTHAM, Mass. – With junior Ellie Wheeler (Olathe, Kans./Saint James Academy) putting down 14 kills and hitting an impressive .474, the Bentley University volleyball team turned in an impressive performance with a 3-0 season-opening win over Holy Family University Friday during the Hoffman Memorial Tournament at the Dana Center. Both teams competed in the NCAA Division II East Regional last year.

In the tournament named after the Falcons' late Hall of Fame coach, Bentley completed a 2-0 opening day with a 3-0 victory over Purdue-Northwest.

The scores of the convincing opening win over the Tigers were 25-12, 25-17 and 25-11. Bentley led from the opening point in the opening set and the only lead change came on an ace by graduate setter Amanda Parker (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North HS) on the fifth serve of the second set. The third set included only one tie, that coming at 1-1.

Wheeler, who had only one error on 28 swings, registered six kills and hit .556 in the middle set. Her afternoon also included a block.

Bentley also received five kills apiece from senior Ingrid Murphy (Cotuit/Barnstable HS) and junior Caitlin Wunder (Penn Yan, N.Y./Penn Yan Academy). Murphy added 18 digs and three aces while Wunder needed only ten swings for her five kills.

Murphy's three aces was matched by sophomore Jazzy Burke (Lake George, N.Y./Lake George Central HS) and junior Natalie Thom (Okemos, Mich./Okemos HS).

The Falcons hit .349 with 38 kills while the Tigers had 17 errors and only 13 kills.

Against Purdue-Northwest, the trio of Parker, Wheeler and Murphy combined for 23 kills and five aces in the 25-19, 25-19, 25-16 victory. Wheeler and Murphy both had eight kills, and Parker followed with seven. She also had four of the Falcons' 14 aces.

Bentley started slow against the Pride, falling behind 6-0 at the start. The Falcons countered with five unanswered and later had runs of 9-0 and 6-2.

After leading throughout the second set, Bentley ended the match by scoring eight of the last nine points.

Thom, a transfer from Indianapolis, matched Parker's four aces, including three during the closing third-set run.

The five-team tournament concludes Saturday with Bentley facing Valdosta State at 11 am and American International at 6 pm.