Volleyball knocks off Brooklyn in ECAC opening round

WALTHAM, Massachusetts — The Brandeis Judges swept the Brooklyn Bulldogs in the first round of the Eastern College Athletic Conference tournament on Wednesday evening in Auerbach Arena, 25-7, 25-16, 25-13. The Judges, now 16-14, earn their first postseason win and clinch a winning record for the first time since going 21-14 in 2012 and reaching the ECAC championship match. The Bulldogs finish their season at 17-14.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Judges took control of the first set early on. They jumped out to a 6-3 lead and then essentially put the set away with an 8-0 run that included four kills by junior Shea Decker-Jacoby (Los Angeles, Calif. / Marymount) assisted by freshman Marissa Borgert (Blaine, Minn. / Spring Lake Park).

• Brandeis raced out to a 7-2 lead to start the second set, but Brooklyn was able to close the gap with a 5-0 run that included two kills by Sarina Rozek. The Judges were able to gradually lengthen their lead, thanks in part to two 3-0 runs, and take the set, 25-16.

• Brooklyn had its best stretch of the night to start the third set, leading 5-4 after nine points. The Judges then went on a 6-0 run to make it 10-5, thanks in part to two kills by junior Zara Platt (Fountain Valley, Calif. / Fountain Valley) and two Decker-Jacoby aces. The Judges put together another 6-0 run when the score was 14-9, and eventually clinched the match on a kill from Platt, set up by Borgert.

FOR THE JUDGES

• Borgert contributed in all five major categories, with five kills (on an efficient .385 attack percentage), a match-high 20 assists, eight digs, two service aces (tied with two teammates for the match lead), and two block assists.

• Decker-Jacoby led all comers in kills, with 12, Platt had eight kills on 13 attempts, good for a .385 attack percentage, and sophomore Emma Bartlett (Duxbury, Mass. / Duxbury) had seven kills.

• In addition to Borgert, junior Marlee Nork (Chicago, Ill. / Walter Payton College Prep.) helped out her teammates tonight, compiling 11 assists.

• As always, junior Yvette Cho (San Diego, Calif. / Rancho Bernardo) led the Judges with 13 digs, tied for the match-high. Two of her teammates joined her in the double-digit dig club: Nork had 11 and Decker-Jacoby had 10.

• Decker-Jacoby, Nork, and Borgert tied for the match-high in service aces, with two.

• Freshman Belle Scott (Portland Ore. / Oregon Episcopal School) had a match-high three blocks: two solo and one assist.

• The Judges hit .268 for the match (38K-12E-97TA), their highest attack percentage since an October 7 sweep vs. UMass-Dartmouth.

FOR THE BULLDOGS

• Sarina Rozek led the Bulldogs with seven kills. Michaela Appel also contributed five kills.

• Kate Meltsin led Brooklyn with seven assists. Claudia Moi was just behind her with six helpers.

• Rozek and Jailene Paredes both had a match-high 13 digs, while Moi also compiled nine digs of her own.

• Moi and Jahada-Heaven Graham each had one solo block and two block assists.

UP NEXT

--Corey Cohen