PITTSBURGH - Oberlin College volleyball opened the 2016 season dropping two close matches on the first day of action from La Roche College.

The Yeowomen opened the season with a matchup against Washington and Jefferson. After falling to the Presidents 3-0 a year ago, the Yeowomen went the distance, and fell just three points short of the victory.

The Yeowomen gave away the first set, 20-25, but stormed back to capture the second and third sets, 25-23 and 25-20, to take a 2-1 advantage. Washington and Jefferson earned a six-point win in the fourth, forcing a decisive fifth set. An offensive attack led by first-year Lexi Mitchell and second-year Dana Thomas wasn't enough as the Presidents' edged out a 15-13 win to take the match from the Yeowomen.

Mitchell finished with 16 kills to lead the Oberlin women, while Thomas followed with 12 kills, finishing with an attack percentage of .292.  Senior Ave Spencer was the final Yeowoman to land in double digits offensively, collecting 11 kills, finishing with an attack percentage of .321. 

Senior Meredith Leung and sophomore Sara Chang were pivotal in setting up the Oberlin offense, combining for 57 assists in the first battle.

After their defeat to the Presidents, the Yeowomen squared off with York College (PA), hoping for redemption and to end the day with a split.

The Spartans took the first set, 25-20, before the Yeowomen evened the match, 1-1, with a 25-23 triumph in the second stanza.

Another 20-25 defeat put the Yeowomen in a 2-1 hole, which proved too much to dig out of as they fell in four sets to the tune of 20-25, 25-23, 20-25 and 19-25.

Senior Jillian Hostetler spearheaded the Oberlin attack in the night cap with 12 kills, followed closely by Mitchell who rattled off 10 more kills against York.

Leung finished the first day of competition with 19 more assists in the night cap, while Chang closed the day with a combined 44 assists on opening day.

The Yeowomen return tomorrow afternoon for another doubleheader in the Keystone State as they take on NCAC foe Hiram College followed by host La Roche College at 1 p.m. The first serve against the Terriers goes up at 10 a.m.