PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- The Brandeis volleyball team dropped its final two contests of the 2012 University Athletic Association round robin, falling to fifth-ranked Emory, 3-0, and host Carnegie Mellon, 3-1. The Judges went 1-6 overall in round robin play and will be seeded seventh at the UAA championships in November. Their overall record stands at 14-10.
In their first match of the day, Brandeis fell to Emory by scores of 25-15, 25-19, 25-15. Sophomore outside hitter Liz Hood (Albuquerque, N.M./Albuquerque Acad.) finished with 10 kills, tied for second-highest in the match, while classmate Elsie Bernaiche (Plantsville, Conn./Southington) had 12 digs. The Eagles hit for a .243 team percentage while holding the Judges to .043 on the defensive end.
The Judges played a tough match against the hometown Tartans, but were unable to come away with a victory. The teams split the first two sets, with CMU winning the opener, 25-22, and Brandeis taking set two by the same score. The hosts closed out the third and fourth sets with identical 25-19 scores to finish the round robin a game ahead of Brandeis in the standings.
Brandeis had three players finish in double figures in kills, with Hood and junior Si-Si Hensley (Fullerton, Calif./Troy) each recording 12 and senior middle blocker Becca Fischer (San Antonio, Texas/Clark) adding 11. Hensley also finished with 19 digs - one shy of Bernaiche's team-high 20 - for her eighth double-double of the season. Junior setter Yael Einhorn (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill East) had 41 assists, while rookie Maddie Engeler (Sandusky, Ohio/St. Mary Central Catholic) added five block assists.
The Judges return to action next weekend at the Hall of Fame Invitational at Smith and Mount Holyoke. Brandeis will face Bridgewater State, Middlebury and co-host Smith at the tournament.