NEW YORK, N.Y. – The Wentworth Institute of Technology opened the 2011 season with a pair of matches on the first day of the 2011 New York University Labor Day Invitational, falling to Montclair State, 3-0, and dropping a 3-0 decision to Brockport. The Leopards were facing both opponents for the first time in program history.

Wentworth played the Redhawks evenly in the first set before falling, 25-23, and saw Montclair take a 2-0 lead with a 25-11 win in the match's second set. The third set would be a back-and-forth affair with the Leopards having chances to extend the match. However, Montclair (2-0) pulled away at the end with a 26-24 win to complete the sweep.

Junior Julie Rahilly (Nashua, N.H.) paced the Leopards with eight kills, while senior Julie Bruton (Montgomery, Texas) had nine digs to go along with three kills and two blocks. Juniors Erica Wright (West Hartford, Conn.) and Nicole Wetherbee (Pembroke, Mass.) also recorded three kills apiece. Neither Wright nor Bruton had an attack error in the match. Freshman Shannon Ponce (San Jose, Calif.) had 13 assists in her collegiate debut.

The Golden Eagles upped their record to 3-0 on the young season by taking the first two sets by identical 25-18 scores and completing the sweep with a 25-17 win in the third set.

Bruton paced the Leopards with seven kills on 10 swings, four blocks, and five service aces. Rahilly added five kills and four digs, while Wetherbee had four digs. Ponce and junior Rebecca Williams (Brockton, Mass.) each had three assists with Ponce adding a pair of blocks in the match.

Wentworth (0-2) completes pool play on Saturday when the Leopards play Bridgewater State at 11:00 a.m. The outcome of that match will determine who the Leopards will face in their final match of the tournament, to be played at 1:00 p.m.