ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- The Brandeis University volleyball team defeated the University of Rochester in three straight sets today in the final pool-play match at the University Athletic Association championships at Washington University in St. Louis. Set scores were 25-15, 25-18, 29-27. In the third-place match, the Judges could not put away Carnegie Mellon as the Tartans avenged a regular-season loss with a 3-0 decision. Two sets were decided with extra points, 24-26, 21-25, 25-27, as Brandeis finished in fourth place for the second year in a row.
In the Rochester match, the Judges were paced by senior outside hitter Lorraine Wingenbach's (Buffalo, N.Y.) double-double. She had team-highs with 15 kills and 16 digs. If she matches her dig total in the third-place match, Wingenbach would be tied with assistant coach Marni (Kutok) Friedman '04 for the University's all-time lead with 1,605 career digs. Junior right-side Piera Carfagno (Los Angeles, Calif.) added nine kills and three digs, while sophomore setter Abby Blasco (Greeley, Colo.) had 29 assists and matched Wingenbach with 16 digs.
Against Carnegie Mellon, Wingenbach finished with 14 kills and a .214 hitting percentage. She recorded two service aces and seven digs, finishing nine shy of the Judges' career record. Sophomore middle blocker Nicole Smith (Marietta, Ga.) had nine kills and swung for a .400 percentage, while sophomore outside hitter Paige Blasco (Greeley, Colo.) added eight kills and 13 digs. Sister Abby finished with 35 assists and eight digs.
With the 1-1 day, Brandeis concludes its regular season with a 19-13 record, including 5-6 in University Athletic Association play.