WILLIMANTIC, Conn. -- The Mount Holyoke College volleyball team opened the 2023 season with a 3-0 (25-20, 25-13, 25-16) win over the University of St. Joseph on Saturday afternoon at Eastern Connecticut State University, before capping the day with a 3-0 (25-20, 25-17, 25-21) defeat against the host Warriors.

Sophomore Madeline Barton (Brookfield, Wis.) led the Lyons (1-1) in scoring in both matches, including a whopping 19 kills in the win over the Blue Jays (0-3).

The Lyons started out well against USJ and got better from there, increasing their attack percentage in each set (.209, .241, .382), and holding the Blue Jays to a lower rate with each frame (.200, .100, .000).

Sophomore setter Sadie Duffrin (Minneapolis, Minn.) had five service aces and 32 assists in the victory. Sophomore Elle Rimando (Mililani, Hawaii) contributed seven kills, and first-years Katie Frank (Prairieville, La.) and Serina Li (Scarsdale, N.Y.) had six and five kills apiece, respectively, in their collegiate debuts.

In the day's final match, ECSU got a combined 29 kills from Brooke Praskievicz, Bella Johnson and Haley Jo Bridges to sweep three sets from the Lyons. (Earlier in the day, ECSU came from behind to defeat USF 3-2.)

Junior captain Lucie Berclaz (Hull, Mass.), who played exclusively at libero last season, operated as an outside hitter with first-year Kyra Staples (Chatham, Ill.) moving into the libero spot. Berclaz had a team-high 14 digs to go with five kills in the win over USJ. Against ECSU, Berclaz tied for the team lead in both attack attempts (30) and kills (6) with Barton, while adding seven digs. Staples led the Lyons in digs against ECSU with 12.

Duffrin tallied 18 assists and three kills against the Warriors.

Mount Holyoke plays its home opener on Thursday, Sept. 7 at 7pm against the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.