NORTHAMPTON, Mass. -- The fifth-seeded Brandeis volleyball team rolled past host Smith College by a 3-0 score in the consolation semifinals of the 2009 Hall of Fame Invitational, 25-9, 25-12, 25-20, snapping a five-match losing streak in the process. The nine points allowed in the first set by the Judges matched a season low. The Judges, who then fell to Wellesley in the fifth-place match, placed junior setter Abby Blasco (Greeley, Colo./Frontier Acad.) on the All-Tournament team.
Junior outside hitter Paige Blasco (Greeley, Colo./Frontier Acad.) led the offensive attack with one her most efficient matches of the season. Blasco had 11 kills and a .300 hitting percentage, the fifth time she reached the .300 mark this season. She also added eight digs. Senior right-side player Piera Carfagno (Los Angeles, Calif./Campbell Hall School) added 10 kills. Paige's twin sister Abby had 26 assists and five digs on the match, while junior middle blocker Nicole Smith (Marietta, Ga./Alan C. Pope) notched a career-high with five service aces.
In the opening round, coach Michelle Kim's squad won the first two sets against No. 4-seed MIT, but they were unable to close out the Engineers, who rallied for a 21-25, 24-26, 25-17, 25-21, 15-9 victory. The Judges were led by the Blasco sisters. Paige had a team-high 19 kills and tied with Abby for 11 digs. Abby added four kills and had 38 assists. The double-double performances were the 11th of the season for Abby and the ninth for Paige. Carfagno added 13 kills with a .265 hitting percentage and eight digs.
In the consolation finals, Wellesley avenged a loss to the Judges from earlier in the season with a 3-0 victory. Set scores were 25-22, 25-20, 25-23. Paige Blasco and Carfagno tied for team-high honors against the Blue with 11 kills each. Abby Blasco finished with her second double-double of the weekend with 25 assists and 10 digs.