WALTHAM, Mass. – Brandeis University senior captain Jaime
Capra (Old Bridge, N.J.) tied for game-high honors with 19 points,
moving into third place on the Judges' all-time scoring list in the
process, as the Judges upset the No. 13-ranked University of
Rochester Yellowjackets, 71-64, in a University Athletic
Association (UAA) contest in Red Auerbach Arena tonight. Brandeis
(16-5, 7-3 UAA) moved into a tie with Rochester (17-4, 7-3 UAA) and
Chicago in second place in the UAA with the victory, one game
behind Washington University.
Capra scored 15 of her points in the second half, including 10 in
the final 4:34 of action. She connected on six-of-14 from the
field, one-of-two from 3-point range, and six-of-nine from the
line. She also pulled down a game-high nine rebounds. Capra now has
1,295 points for her career, as she moved past Danielle Fitzpatrick
'04 and Pam Vaughan '90 into third place on Brandeis's scoring
roll.
Sophomore guard Jessica Chapin (Mendon, N.Y.) tied Capra for
game-high high honors with 19 points, as she connected on
five-of-seven 3-pointers on the night. Chapin also had a game-high
four steals. Junior forward Lauren Orlando (Peabody, Mass.) also
reached double figures with 14 points. Senior guard Kiersten
Holgash (Easton, Pa.) led the Judges with four assists. Brandeis
outrebounded the visitors, 36-30, and outscored them 21-12, from
the free-throw line. The 71 points scored by the Judges was the
highest total Rochester has allowed this season.
Rochester was paced off the bench by rookie Melissa Alwardt
(Greece, N.Y.), who had 15 points, all in the second half. She
connected on four-of-12 from the field, two-of-six from long range
and hit all five foul shots. Senior reserve Jessica Waddell
(Williamstown, N.J.) also had a strong night off the bench, scoring
12 points, while junior Julie Marriott (Fairport, N.Y.) was the
only Yellowjacket starter in double figures with 10 points, as
Brandeis's first five outscored Rochester's, 57-26.
Brandeis started the game on a 16-6 run over the first five
minutes, with a seven-point burst in less than a minute blowing
open a 9-6 lead. Rochester answered with an 18-4 run of their own,
reclaiming the lead on a Helen Baroody jumper (Cazenovia, N.Y.)
with 8:39 left and going ahead, 24-20, on a Marriott lay-in with
6:22 left in the first.
The Judges responded by closing the half on a 12-3 run, including
seven straight points from rookie forward Amber Strodthoff (DePere,
Wisc.), followed by five in a row from Chapin. A Rachel Stern
trifecta with 30 seconds left cut Brandeis's halftime lead to
32-27. Chapin led all players at the break with 11 points.
Momentum stayed with the Judges in the second half, as they opened
with a Capra trifeca that sparked a 13-5 run with 12:40 left in the
contest. The lead was as large as 15 points with 8:40 remaining
following an Orlando lay-up, but UR wouldn't go away. The
Yellowjackets scored 20 of the next 27 points, climbing within two
after junior Marlena Fisher (Derry, N.H.) started and finished a
fast-break with a steal and a lay-up with 1:50 remaining that
trimmed the deficit to 63-61. Capra answered with a jumper as the
shot clock wound under 10 to put the lead back to four, and the
Judges got stops and hit their free throws to finished with the
seven-point victory, 71-64.