Brooklyn, NY (Sept. 7, 2017) – The Purchase College women's volleyball team ran into a formidable non-conference opponent in their season opener Thursday night.

The Panthers fell in three sets to red-hot Brooklyn College. The Bulldogs rolled to their third straight non-conference victory to start the 2017 season with a 25-13, 25-20, 20-9 over the Panthers in the Brooklyn's home opener. 

Already leading 18-12 in the first game, the Bulldogs rallied for six straight to take a commanding 24-12 lead. During that stretch, freshman Brittany Buchanan served up two aces.

Purchase jumped out to a 2-0 lead to start the second game. However, the Bulldogs battled back with three unanswered scores on Panther attack errors.

Purchase would retake the lead, 4-3, momentarily before Brooklyn took the lead for good scoring seven straight points. 

The Panthers would make a late run in the game, trailing 18-16.  But Brooklyn answered back and took the second set, paving the way for a strong start in the third game, where the Bulldogs jumped out to a 9-2 advantage.

Brooklyn was led by Michaela Appel's match-high 17 kills.

Purchase was led offensively by Maura Gribbins (JR/Buffalo, NY), Alex Lally (SR/Mesquite, TX) and Katie Haynes (SR/Johnson City, NY). Gribbins totaled six kills, followed by Lally with five and Haynes with three. Lally also contributed 15 digs. Kaitlyn Pillig (JR/Mamaroneck, NY) finished with five digs and a team-best two service aces. Noelle Miller (SO/Chittenango, NY) went for 16 assists in her Panther debut.