COLCHESTER, Vt. – The two-time defending NCAA East Regional champs haven't missed a beat. The No. 18 Bentley volleyball team opened its 2025 season with two wins Friday as part of the Windjammer Classic hosted by St. Michael's.
 
Bentley 3, East Stroudsburg 0 (26-24, 25-19, 25-21)
Sophia Poehlein put away a match-high 17 kills, and freshman Lulu Pavan made her collegiate debut by tallying 11 kills in a Falcon sweep over East Stroudsburg.
Poehlein, who became Bentley's first-ever NCAA All-Tournament Team selection a year ago, recorded seven kills in the opening frame of the season. Late in the first set, Bentley trailed 22-21. Poehlein allowed the Falcons to reclaim the lead, 23-22, with consecutive kills.
The set was tied at 24 when Poehlein put away her seventh kill for a one-point lead. She then stepped back to serve, and delivered an ace that won the set.
Similarly to Poehlein, Pavan did most of her damage in the first set. The rookie tallied four kills during her first collegiate rotation.
Tory Vitko notched a double-double with 32 assists and 14 digs. Sofia Zingariello and senior captain Erica Borzone matched Vitko's digs total with 14, each.
 
Bentley 3, Franklin Pierce 1 (25-15, 25-20, 24-26, 25-14)
Lulu Pavan's follow-up act was a 14-kill performance in a non-conference win for Bentley over Franklin Pierce. Teammates were feeding Pavan on the outside, as she totaled 40 attacks.
Senior captain Elizabeth Blinn, who was named to the AVCA All-East Region First Team in 2024, notched 11 kills in the winning effort. She totaled six blocks against the Ravens. Blinn finished the 2024 season ranked sixth in the nation for blocks per set (1.44).
Tory Vitko got her second double-double of the day, adding another 32 assists with 16 digs.
Junior Sasha Luzina came away with a career-high 19 digs, a mark that led all players in the non-conference contest. First-year Falcon Marina Kay added 13 digs.
Bentley remains in Vermont to take on Nebraska-Kearney and Saint Michael's Saturday, Sept. 6, in the Windjammer Classic.