CENTER VALLEY, PA. -- Gwynedd Mercy opened their 2016 season with a pair of matches at the DeSales University Invitational but came away with two defeats. The Griffins fell to the host Bulldogs, 3-0, (25-11, 25-13, 25-8) in the day's first match then dropped a 3-0 decision to Washington College (25-20, 25-18, 26-24).

Rookie Maggie Gorman recorded eight kills in the first match against DeSales, a team high. Kerry McGlinn doled out 15 assists and Laura Kirk came up with nine digs. The Griffins totaled 16 kills on 87 attempts, but committed 22 hitting errors.

A 10-1 run by the Bulldogs in the first set broke a 4-4 tie and put Gwynedd in a double-digit deficit. A similar string in the second also put the Griffins in a hole. The third saw DeSales jump out to a 13-1 lead.

Against Washington, it was another first-year player turning in a great debut. Casey Griffith totaled a double-double, registering 11 kills on 31 attempts with just three errors and adding 14 digs, both team highs. She also added two aces and a solo block.

Gorman chipped in nine enders while McGlinn assisted on 23 of the team's 29 kills.

The Shorewomen would win the first two sets, both in close fashion. In the third and trailing, 16-14, the Griffins rolled out seven-straight points, forcing a Washington timeout. But the lead shrunk and eventually turned into a deficit at 23-22. Gwynedd tied it at 23-23 on a kill from Griffith and again at 24-24 also on a ender from Griffith. But Washington was able to end the match with two-straight points.

Gwynedd returns to action tomorrow on day two with matches against Rutgers-Camden at 10 a.m. followed by a date with Baruch at noon.