WORCESTER, Mass. – The Felician University women's volleyball team opened its 2016 season on Saturday, dropping a pair of matches hosted by Assumption College at Laska Gymnasium. Felician began the campaign by losing, 3-2 (24-26, 18-25, 26-24, 25-16, 15-7), to Salem International University, before falling, 3-0 (25-20, 25-13, 25-19) to Saint Anselm College.

Sophomore middle Carmen Shaw (Gardnerville, Nev.) combined for 28 kills and a .284 attack percentage on the day for the Golden Falcons.

Against Salem International, the first set featured 13 ties and seven lead changes. With the teams knotted at 24-24, Shaw and classmate Paulina Calero (El Centro, Calif.) came up with consecutive kills to give Felician the victory. The Golden Falcons won six consecutive rallies with the score tied, 14-14, to pull away in Set 2 and take the 2-0 lead.

Set 3 ended up representing Felician's best chance to secure the match, with the Golden Falcons leading as late as 18-15. But with the scored tied, 21-21, the Tigers rolled off three straight points. Felician saved all three set points, but then committed two attack errors, allowing SIU to extend the contest.

The Tigers took full advantage, holding Felician to a .000 attack percentage in Set 4 and a negative figure in the deciding set. SIU jumped out to leads of 11-6 and 21-10 in the fourth, and claimed the first eight points of Set 5 in completing the comeback.

Calero led all players with 17 kills and added 16 digs and Shaw finished with 14 kills and eight digs for Felician. Golden Falcon freshman setter Charlotte Greek (Menifee, Calif.) posted 33 assists, 21 digs and three aces in her collegiate debut, and rookie libero Lauren Mack (Valparaiso, Ind.) had 24 digs and eight assists in hers. Ashly Holt (Haslet, Texas) topped SIU (1-2) with 15 kills and four aces.

The Golden Falcons had to come back 30 minutes after the tough loss and face East Region foe Saint Anselm. The Hawks hit .349 for their three-set victory, while holding Felician to an .078 attack percentage.

Felician never led in the opening set. The Golden Falcons closed a 9-1 deficit to 11-10, but Saint Anselm took the next five points and regained control. The Hawks recovered from a 8-4 hole to knot Set 2 at 9-9 before eventually taking a 21-12 lead, and turned a 10-10 tie into a 19-12 Set 3 victory on their way to closing out the match.

Shaw hit .379 with a match-high 14 kills and Calero totaled seven kills and eight digs. Saint Anselm (2-0) saw sophomore outside Sarah Lowery (Chicago, Ill.) hit .643 with nine kills and six digs.