PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Brandeis University volleyball team went five sets for the third time in four matches tonight, but the Judges couldn't pull out a road victory over Johnson and Wales University, falling 3-2. Brandeis won the first set, 25-21, then dropped the next two, 16-25 and 21-25. They rallied to take the fourth, 26-24, but couldn't keep the momentum going as JWU won the fifth, 15-6. Brandeis falls to 6-16 on the season, while Johnson and Wales improves to 14-7.
The Judges had a balanced attack tonight, with six different players contributing between four and 8.5 points. Senior Kaisa Newberg (Reno, Nev./Sage Ridge School) and first-year Lara Verstovsek (Bellaire, Texas/Episcopal) tied for team-high honors with seven kills. Newberg had three block assists, while Verstovsek had one block solo and one assist, to account for their 8.5 points. Four other Brandeis players had either four or 4.5 points. Sophomore setter Ines Grom-Mansenecal (Cincinnati, Ohio/Wyoming) had 27 assists and two service aces, while sophomore libero Ella Pereira (Redondo Beach, Calif./Rolling Hills Prep) led Brandeis with 24 digs. Junior Amelia Oppenheimer (The Woodlands, Texas/The Woodlands) also reached double digits in digs with 10.
In contrast, JWU saw 44.5 of their 65 points come from three players. Peyton Oliver was the leader for the Wildcats with 12 kills, six service aces and three blocks (two solo). Tiah Scott had a match-high 13 kills, while Amanda Koch had nine kills and two solo blocks. Kyra Hissner had a match-high 36 assists, plus 11 digs and three aces. Hissner also had 11 digs for the double-double, while Emily Corbett had a match-high 26 digs.
The Judges led nearly wire-to-wire in the first set, before winning, 25-21. The Judges were looking good in the second with a 14-11 lead, but Johnson and Wales came back by closing on a 14-2 run to take it, 25-14, the largest margin of victory in the match. In the third set, Brandeis had a late lead at 19-18 before the hosts won seven of nine points, including the last four, to take it, 25-21.
The fourth set was one of runs, with Brandeis starting out 6-2. The Judges were able to keep the Wildcats at bay, but the hosts eventually tied things up at 17-all. Brandeis won the next three points to go on top, 20-18. Johnson and Wales went on a six-point run to take 23-21 lead, but the Judges responded with two more points to knot the score at 23. JWU won the next point to set up match point, but Verstovsek came up with a kill to force extra points. A Kaitlyn Oh (Santa Clara, Calif./Cupertino) ace got the Judges on the brink, and a JWU error allowed the Judges to take the fourth, 26-24. Unfortunately, the Judges fell behind big in the fifth set and were unable to climb out of a 9-4 hole.
The Judges return to action tomorrow evening at 7 p.m. against Bowdoin College.