WALTHAM, Mass. — The Brandeis University volleyball team suffered a three-set sweep at the hands of the United States Coast Guard Academy tonight in the first round of the Brandeis University Invitational. The Judges (1-3) hung tough in the first two sets before the Bears (4-0) pulled away in the third. Set scores were 25-21, 27-25, 25-5.

      The Judges were paced by junior Summer Koop (Long Valley, N.J./West Morris Central), who had seven kills and just one error in 15 chances for a .400 hitting percentage. Classmate Maddie Engeler (Sandusky, Ohio/St. Mary Catholic Central) also had seven kills, while rookie Jessie Moore added six. Ten of their 13 kills came in the second set.

Senior libero Elsie Bernaiche (Plantsville, Conn./Southington) had 10 digs, while classmate Shemira Pennyman (Meridan, Conn./Francis T. Maloney) had nine. Rookie setter Julie Kim (Fullerton, Calif./Troy) had 26 assists, a match-high.

      Coast Guard sophomore Susan West (Jacksonville Beach, Fla./Duncan U. Fletcher) was the offensive leader for the visitors, with 11 kills and just two errors in 18 attacks for a .500 hitting percentage. Rookie libero Michelle McGill (Atlantic Beach, Fla./Duncan U. Fletcher) led all players with 16 digs, while junior Ashley Dumont (Silver Spring, Md./Good Counsel) and rookie Summer Adams (Gig Harbor, Wash./Gig Harbor) each had four blocks to top the match. Junior Maggie Hine (Richmond, Va./Eastern Mennonite) led the Bears with 17 assists.

      The first set was tight affair, with Brandeis's 10-6 lead the largest early margin. The Judges stayed ahead until a 5-1 run turned Coast Guard's 17-15 deficit into a 20-18 lead on a West kill. The Bears held the Judges off for the 25-21 win.

In the second set, CGA raced out to a 7-4 lead, but consecutive kills by Moore, senior Liz Hood (Albuquerque, N.M./Albuquerque Acad.) and sophomore Jessica Kaufman (Tucson, Ariz./Cienega) knotted the set at 7-7. Coast Guard twice tried to pull away, establishing three more four-point leads, including set point at 24-20. The Judges responded with a kill from Engeler, followed by two Bear errors. Moore sent one home to even the set at 24, but West recorded a kill on two of the next three points, while Adams put the set away, 27-25. The final set was not really in question, as Coast Guard opened on an 11-1 run, with West serving nine straight points to take control.

Brandeis returns with two more matches tomorrow, taking on Wesleyan University at noon and local rival Wellesley College at 4 p.m.