WALTHAM, Mass. - The Brandeis University volleyball team dropped its first match on second day of play of the University Athletic Association round robin, falling to fourth-ranked Washington University, 3-0, but the Judges bounced back to defeat Case Western Reserve University by the same score.
Against WashU, Brandeis gave the Bears a test in the first game, but were unable to keep pace with the visitors, falling by scores of 25-22, 25-13, 25-18. The Judges were led by junior right-side Piera Carfgano (Los Angeles, Calif.), who had eight kills and a .312 hitting percentage. Sophomore setter Abby Blasco (Greeley, Colo.) recorded a double-double with 23 assists and a team-high 13 digs. Washington senior right side Nikki Morrison (Lincoln, Neb.) led all players with 11 kills and had three blocks (one solo), while classmate Alli Alberts (Smithton, Ill.) topped the Bears with 12 digs.
The Judges answered the defeat quickly by dispatching Case Western Reserve - coached by Brandeis alumna Karen Farrell '93 - by scored of 25-17, 25-18, 25-22. Brandeis never trailed by more than one point at any time in the match. Though the sets were all tightly contested early, Brandeis closed the first set on an 11-3 run and set two on an 8-1 streak. Against the Spartans, Brandeis senior outside hitter Lorraine Wingenbach (Buffalo, N.Y.), who had become the University's all-time kills leader the day before, had a match-high 14 kills, swinging for a .310 percentage (14 K-5 E-29 TA). Sophomore outside hitter Paige Blasco (Greeley, Colo.) added 11 kills. Blasco and Wingenbach tied with senior libero Violette Ruggiero (Paradise Valley, Ariz.) for team-high honors with nine digs. Abby Blasco finished with 39 assists and a season-high seven kills.
With a 3-4 record in the University Athletic Association, Brandeis has earned the No. 5 seed in the UAA Championships Nov. 7-8 at Washington University. The Judges tied with Case and the University of Chicago at 3-4 and the teams were all 1-1 in head-to-head play. Chicago earned the fourth seed with a 5-3 set record, Brandeis was fifth at 3-3 and Case was sixth at 3-5.