WORCESTER, Mass. (taken from a WPI press release) – Brandeis University sophomore Marissa Borgert (Blaine, Minn./Spring Lake Park) notched her second-straight double to lead the volleyball team out of a 2-0 deficit, but the Judges couldn't come all the way back tonight as they fell to host WPI, 3-2, in a non-conference showdown. Set scores were 18-25, 20-25, 26-24, 25-15, 9-15. The Judges fall to 7-10 overall this season, 0-3 in five-set matches. The Engineers improve to 14-3 and are now 1-1 in five setters this season.
Borgert notched a double-double of 14 kills and 27 assists, the fourth of her career in those two statistics. Junior Emma Bartlett (Duxbury, Mass./Duxbury) registered a team-best 17 kills, tied for match-high honors. Senior Marlee Nork (Chicago, Ill./Walter Payton College Prep) contributed with 19 helpers and three aces. Rookie Kaitlyn Oh (Santa Clara, Calif./Cupertino) tallied a match-best 25 digs and Yvette Cho (San Diego, Calif./Rancho Bernardo) chipped in with 15.
Colleen Mullins (Andover, Mass.) and Lilly Taylor (Weymouth, Mass.) posted double-doubles to lead the home team. Mullins tied her season-highs of 17 kills and 17 digs while Taylor, who eclipsed her previous season-best of 32 assists to help tie the third set at 24-24, finished with 49 to go along with 10 digs. Sarah Kwatinetz (Seattle, Wash.) and Abbie Gilbert (Hopkinton, Mass.) smashed 12 and 10 kills, respectively. Victoria Nassar (Atkinson, N.H.) dug out 19 for the Engineers as Casey Hunt (Granby, Conn.) came up with 12 and Kate Amrein (Nashua, N.H.) added 10. Kwatinetz was credited with three solo blocks while Amanda Wetmore (Hudson, N.H.) and Gilbert combined for nine block assists.
The Engineers claimed seven of the first eight points in the first set. With the hosts ahead 16-6, the Judges went on a five-point run to cut the deficit to cut the deficit in half. WPI went on to secure three of the last four in the 25-18 triumph. The second set was much closer and ended 25-20 in the Boynton Hillers favor.
The third set was almost point-for-point with the Judges coming away with the 26-24 triumph. Brandeis then forced the deciding set with a convincing 25-15 fourth set that began with a 6-0 run.
With the fifth set tied at 4-4, the Engineers used a pair of kills and an ace, and benefitted from miscues to take a 9-4 advantage. Neither side put more than two points together the rest of the way.
Brandeis is back in action at Regis Tuesday at 6 p.m. WPI also plays Regis next, heading to Weston on Saturday for a tri-match that includes Worcester State beginning with an 11 am matchup.