ST. LOUIS, Mo. – In their final match of the 2016 season, the Brandeis volleyball team dropped a five-set decision to NYU in the seventh-place match of the University Athletic Association tournament today.   With the loss, the Judges end their campaign with a 7-21 record. NYU ends at 16-16.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The match was a back-and-forth affair, as the teams alternated set wins.
• NYU edged Brandeis in the first set, 25-23, closing on an 8-3 run.
• The Judges bounced back in the second, erasing 23-20 deficit to extend the set and win 27-25.
• The Violets raced out to a 12-2 lead in the third and won it, 25-13.
• Brandeis trailed early, 4-1, in the fourth, but senior Jessica Kaufman (Tucson, Ariz./Cienaga) served seven straight points to give the Judges an 8-4 lead.
• NYU rallied for a 12-11 lead and it was still a one-point set at 16-15 for Brandeis when sophomore Shea Decker-Jacoby (Los Angeles, Calif./Marymount) served five in a row – including two service aces – to give Brandeis a 22-15 lead it would not relinquish as they picked up a 25-20 win in the fourth.
• Decker-Jacoby picked up where she left off in the fifth set, serving as the Judges scored the first five points.
• The Judges took the lead into the switchover at 8-5, but NYU rallied and eventually tied the set at 9-all, forcing a Brandeis timeout.
• The teams traded points to get to 10-10, but at that point, the Violets' net defense took over, as NYU scored four of the final points of the match on blocks, with Rayne Ellis involved in all four to earn the win, 15-10.

FOR THE JUDGES

• Brandeis had three players in double digit in kills, led by rookie Emma Bartlett (Duxbury, Mass./Duxbury), who established a career-high with 17 kills. Decker-Jacoby and sophomore Zara Platt (Fountain Valley, Calif. / Fountain Valley) each contributed 11 kills.
• Decker-Jacoby was one of two Brandeis players to record a double-double, as she added a career-high 14 digs to her 11 kills. Sophomore Leah Pearlman (El Paso, Texas/El Paso) added 20 assists and 12 digs.
• Sophomore libero Yvette Cho (San Diego, Calif./Ranch Bernardo) had a match-high 24 digs, while Kaufman led the net defense with four blocks (one solo).
• Sophomore setter Marlee Nork (Chicago, Ill./Walter Payton Collegiate Prep) had a team-high 21 assists.

FOR THE VIOLETS

• Gretchen Cash led all players with 22 kills, while Catherine Rapp had 17.    
• Setter Kathryn Goyette recorded NYU's only double-double with a match high 47 assists to go with 16 digs.
• Ellis finished with seven blocks for the match, while Grace Napolitano led NYU with 21 digs.