WESTERVILLE, Ohio -- Washington & Jefferson earned two-point wins in the second and fifth sets to defeat Ohio Wesleyan, 3-2, in the opener of the 2018 Capital/Otterbein Fall Classic, before dropping a 3-0 decision against Muskingum in its second action of the tournament.

The split opens the Presidents season at 1-1 before completing play in Ohio on Saturday in matches against a pair of NCAA Tournament teams from a season ago in Otterbein (10 am; receiving votes in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Division III Preseason Top 25) and defending national runner-up Wittenberg (2 pm; AVCA Preseason No. 4).

Scores against Ohio Wesleyan fell 13-25, 27-25, 25-21, 18-25, 17-15, while the Muskingum match was 26-24, 25-9, 25-20.

Junior Julia Bernesser (Glenshaw, Pa./Shaler) led W&J with 11 kills against the Bishops, while classmate Morgan Jacques (Pittsburgh, Pa./Pittsburgh Science & Technology Academy) and freshman Bridget Hart (Pittsburgh, Pa./Seton LaSalle) each turned in eight kills and junior Julia Galbraith (Pittsburgh, Pa./Vincentian Academy) turned in seven kills and a .353 hitting percentage. Junior Mallory O'Brien (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) posted 34 assists in directing the offense and sophomore Katie Conner (Pittsburgh, Pa./Vincentian Academy) tied for the match-high with three service aces.

Defensively, Makenzie Coughlin (Brunswick, Ohio/Brunswick) and O'Brien were both in double figures at 17 and 14 digs, respectively. Galbraith and Jacques (both solo) each had two blocks.

The senior tandem of Madison Lydic (Erie, Pa./Fort LeBoeuf) and Abbey Eich (Greencastle, Pa./St. Maria Goretti (Md.)) led the Presidents with six kills apiece against Muskingum. O'Brien had 22 assists in the nightcap to become just the fourth President in the rally-scoring era to go over 1,500 career assists. Coughlin's 12 digs led the defense versus the Muskies.