St. Ambrose dropped its season opener to Briar Cliff in three sets Saturday night 25-20, 25-17, 25-12.

The Bees never found their rhythm while facing a Chargers team playing for the second time in as many nights. Briar Cliff won its season opener at Culver-Stockton Friday night.

SAU got off to a quick start with a Scott MacGillis kill and a pair of Briar Cliff errors leading to a 3-1 lead. But after a Jason Bageanis kill gave St. Ambrose a 4-3 advantage, the Chargers took over. They won eight of the next nine points for a 11-5 lead. Skyler Marushige put down a kill to help the Bees get to within two points at 13-11, but after the teams traded points, BC went on a 4-0 run and they led by at least three points the rest of the set.

It was another good start for the Bees in the second.

A kill from Jake Snyder gave St. Ambrose an 8-5 lead and the margin grew to five at 11-6 after MacGillis and Marushige combined for three straight kills. But SAU would win just six more points in the second set. Briar Cliff, a team receiving votes in the NAIA top-10 poll, evened the score at 12-12 and ultimately took the lead for good at 14-13.

The third set followed a similar pattern. A Bageanis kill staked the team to a 5-4 lead before the Chargers ran off three straight points for a 7-5 lead, a lead they would not surrender. With an 8-7 lead, Briar Cliff broke things open with eight consecutive points and closed out the match soon after.

MacGillis led the Bees with 13 kills. Bageanis finished with five and Marushige added four. Snyder was credited with 23 assists while Dylan Herridge led SAU with seven digs.

St. Ambrose had just one ace against 11 serving errors. Briar Cliff finished with four aces and five errors.

The Bees will open CCAC play Tuesday with a 7 p.m. match at Trinity Christian.