WALTHAM, Mass.  –  In their first two home matches of the 2015 season, the Brandeis University volleyball team suffered a pair of losses in the Brandeis Invitational in Shapiro Gymnasium. They fell 3-0 at the hands of Johnson & Wales University, then couldn't hold off Wellesley in a 3-2 loss.

FULL INVITATIONAL SCORES

Johnson and Wales 3, BRANDEIS 0   (25-11, 25-22, 25-15)
Wellesley 3, BRANDEIS 2 (25-23, 22-25, 14-25, 25-14, 15-11)
Endicott 3, Keene State 1 (23-25, 25-18, 25-13, 25-19)

TEAM RECORDS

Brandeis (1-3); JWU (1-1); Endicott (2-0); Keene State (0-1); Wellesley (1-0)

BRANDEIS VS. JOHNSON AND WALES

• The Judges got off to a slow start before improving against the Wildcats in a 25-11, 25-22, 25-15 defeat.
• In the second set, the Judges cut a 12-6 deficit to 13-12, and were back within one at 23-22, but a JWU timeout halted momentum and the visitors took the set 25-22.
• The Wildcats had a 7-2 run in the third set that gave them the win.
• Sophomore outside hitter Jessie Moore (Rye, N.Y./Rye) had five kills to lead Brandeis.
• Four different players registered multiple assists, led by rookie Leah Pearlman (El Paso, Texas / El Paso) with seven.
• Rookie libero Yvette Cho (San Diego, Calif. / Rancho Bernardo) topped the team with 10 digs, one off the match high.

BRANDEIS VS. WELLESLEY

• After dropping the first set, 25-23, Brandeis won the next two, 25-22, 25-14.
• Wellesley bounced back with a 25-14 win of their own in the fourth before holding off the Judges, 15-11 in the fifth.
• Down 18-16 in the second, Brandeis went on a 7-1 run to help even the match, thanks to three service aces from rookie setter Alison Harmsworth (Bradenton, Fla / Newsome).
• Brandeis's .286 hitting percentage (8 K-2 E-21 TA) in the third set was their second-highest of the season.
• The Blue responded with a .500 percentage of their own in the fourth (13-2-22).
• In the fifth, the teams were tied at 3-3 when play was halted for an injury. Wellesley scored the next four points after the break and held the Judges at bay.
• Offensively, rookie outside hitter Shea Decker-Jacoby (Los Angeles , Calif. / Marymount) set career-highs with 14 kills and seven service aces.
• Rookie Grace Krumpack (Cincinnati, Ohio / Colerain) added 12 kills with just 4 errors in 32 attempts for a .250 hitting percentage.
• Cho added 17 digs and three aces.
• Pearlman recorded a career-best 30 assists.

UP NEXT

Brandeis returns to Shapiro Gym tomorrow to face Endicott and Southern Maine at 12 and 2 p.m.