SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Brandeis University volleyball team opened its 2019 season today with a three-set win over Westfield State University as part of the Springfield College Classic. The Judges won by set scores of 25-22, 25-22, 25-17.
The first set was one of runs, as Brandeis opened up a 5-2 lead, only to see the Owls score seven of the next nine points to take a 9-7 edge. The Judges responded with seven points in a row on the serve of senior All-American Emma Bartlett (Duxbury, Mass./Duxbury) to go ahead, 14-9, and they were still ahead, 19-12, when WSU made another run. The Owls scored five in a row on Lizzie Taylor's serve to get within 19-18, and they eventually went ahead, 22-21. Brandeis scored the set's final four points with rookie Amelia Oppenheimer (The Woodlands, Texas/The Woodlands) on the serve. Bartlett and junior setter Marissa Borgert (Blaine, Minn. / Spring Lake Park) picked up blocks to end the set.
The second set was also nip-and-tuck, and was tied at 17-all when the Judges scored three straight points, including two kills from junior Belle Scott (Portland, Ore. / Oregon Episcopal School) that gave Brandeis a 20-17 lead they wouldn't relinquish.
Brandeis was able to pull away in the third set, taking leads of 9-4, 12-5 and 15-6 before cruising to the 25-17 final that was clinched on a Scott service ace. The Judges hit .250 as a team (14 K-4 E-40 TA) in the third set to put the match away.
Scott led Brandeis with a career-high 11 kills, marking the first time in her collegiate career she reached double figures. Scott also had two aces, one block and eight digs. Bartlett led the Judges in scoring with nine kills, a match-high five aces and five blocks for 16.5 points. She also contributed eight digs. Borgert registered a double-double with 33 assists, her fifth time over 30 in her career and the first time she did so in a three-set match. Sophomore Emerson White (Lexington, Ky. / Sayre) also had 10 digs.
The Judges return to action tomorrow with two more matches in the Springfield Invitational, taking on Keene State at 1 p.m. and host Springfield at 3:30 p.m.