WALTHAM, Massachusetts — The Brandeis University volleyball plays host to some of Division III's best volleyball teams this weekend with the second University Athletic Association Round Robin. On the first day of action, the Judges dropped matches to the University of Rochester and Case Western Reserve University, both in three sets. The Judges fall to 7-12 overall, 0-5 in the UAA.

AGAINST ROCHESTER (23-25, 15-25, 23-25)

• The Judges rallied from a 20-15 deficit in the first set to tie it up at 23-23, but the Yellowjackets scored the final two points to take it. Both teams hit extremely well in the first - .364 for UR (15 K-3 E-33 TA) and .324 for Brandeis  (15 K-3 E-37 TA).
• Rochester scored four of the first five points of the second set and never looked back. They led by as many as 12 points before a late Brandeis run got within eight, but the visitors prevailed, 25-15.
• Brandeis took an early lead in the third set, 6-2, and they were still ahead by four at 9-5.
• UR answered with five straight points to take a 10-9 lead, but neither team was able to pull away until late.
• Brandeis tied it at 18-18, after a Rochester service error, but the Yellowjackets answered with five in a row to go ahead, 23-18. The Judges battled back to 23-22 on the serve of sophomore setter Marlee Nork (Chicago, Ill./Walter Payton College Prep) but couldn't get over the hump, falling 25-23.
• The Judges use their usual balanced attack with four plays registering between five and eight kills. Sophomore Shea Decker-Jacoby (Los Angeles, Calif./Marymount) topped the squad with eight kills, while classmate Kirsten Frauens (Webster, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) had seven. Junior Jessie Moore (Rye, N.Y./Rye) added six and sophomore Grace Krumpack (Cincinnati, Ohio/Colrain) had five.
• Defensively, sophomore libero Yvette Cho (San Diego, Calif./Ranch Bernardo) led the Brandeis with 19 digs, while Krumpack and rookie Doyeon Kim (La Canada, Calif./La Canada) each had 11.
• Frauens and Moore each had three block assists, while senior Jessica Kaufman (Tucson, Ariz./Cienaga) had two solos and one assist.
• Nork finished with 26 assists.

AGAINST CASE WESTERN RESERVE (13-25, 20-25, 16-25)

• The Judges struggled against the Spartans, hitting just .033 (25-K 22 E-91 TA)) to the visitors' .293 (35 K-11E-82 TA).
• Decker-Jacoby led the team with seven kills, while Moore added six.
• Nork paced the squad again with 24 assists.
• Cho's 11 digs made her the only player in the match with double digits.
• Frauens added three more block assists to her total.
• The Spartans are coached by Karen (Chambers) Farrell, Brandeis class of 1993.

UP NEXT

• Brandeis meets fifth-ranked Emory tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. and NYU at 11:30.

- by Adam Levin '94, SID