BOSTON, Mass. – The Brandeis University volleyball team got a pair of double-double performances, but the Judges couldn't overcome a 2-0 set deficit in a 3-1 loss at Emerson College today. Set scores were 25-21, 25-18, 20-25, 25-16. With the loss, the Judges fall to 4-19 on the season, while the Lions improve to 18-6.
In the first set, Emerson jumped out to a 9-3 lead, and the Lions still had significant leads at 17-11 and 19-15. The Judges rattled off four-straight points, tying the set at 19-all thanks to a block and a kill from junior middle blocker Belle Scott (Portland, Ore./Oregon Episcopal School). The Lions were able to rally to close the set on a 6-2 run with two kills from Logan Steenburgen to close it out, 25-21.
In the second, Brandeis took an early 5-3 lead, thanks to a pair of blocks, with senior Emma Bartlett (Duxbury, Mass./Duxbury) contributing on both. EC answered with an 8-2 run of their own and the Lions never trailed again en route to the 25-18 win.
Brandeis opened the third with a 4-1 run, capped by kills from Bartlett and Scott. Emerson got the lead back with a 7-3 streak to make it 8-7 in favor of the hosts. Brandeis won the next six points on Bartlett's serve, including a pair of service aces, to go ahead, 13-8, and the Judges hung on for the 25-20 win.
Emerson was able to avoid going to a fifth set after a close start to the fourth. The teams traded the first eight points to make it 4-4 before the Lions won eight of the next nine, making the lead 12-5. The home team never looked back, taking the fourth, 25-16, as they hit .435 for the set.
Bartlett and Scott, who both recorded double-doubles on the day, led the Judges. Bartlett finished with a team-high 13 kills and 11 digs for her sixth double-double of the season. She also led the Judges with three service aces and had four blocks (one solo). Scott had 12 kills and 12 digs for her fifth double-double of the season. Rookie Amelia Oppenheimer (The Woodlands, Texas/The Woodlands) added 10 kills and led the Judges with a .261 hitting percentage. Junior Marissa Borgert (Blaine, Minn./Spring Lake Park) had 29 assists and sophomore Kaitlyn Oh (Santa Clara, Calif./Cupertino) added 17 digs in the losing effort.
Brandeis returns to action on Thursday evening, October 31st, for a Senior Day showdown with Wellesley College at 7 p.m.