Posted: Oct 16, 2022
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Brandeis University volleyball team wrapped up the University Athletic Association regular season with a pair of 3-0 losses at the hands of sixth-ranked Emory University and the University of Rochester at Rochester today. With the defeats, the Judges will be the eighth seed at November's UAA tournament.
TEAM RECORDS
- Brandeis, 9-12, 0-7 UAA.
- Emory, 12-6, 4-3 UAA.
- Rochester, 11-11, 1-6 UAA.
HOW IT HAPPENED VS. EMORY (25-19, 25-13, 25-23)
- The first set was close with Brandeis taking a late 16-15 lead, thanks to a block by sophomore Arianna Jackson (Lewis Center, Ohio / Oletangy Orange) and grad student Sydney Bent (Raleigh, N.C. / Ransom Everglades School (Fla.) followed by an Emory attack error.
- The Eagles called timeout and went on to score 10 of the set's final 13 points, winning it 25-19.
- Emory continued their momentum into the second set, winning the first 10 points and rolling to a 25-13 win.
- The third set saw a more modest start for Emory, who scored the first four points. The Eagles opened an 8-point lead at 17-9.
- Brandeis was able to tighten things up with a 10-4 run that got them within 21-19 on a Bent kill.
- Emory got within match point at 24-19, but Brandeis fought off the first four attempts to get within 24-23 before EU's Amanda Meyer closed it out, 25-23.
HOW IT HAPPENED VS. ROCHESTER (25-22, 25-18, 28-26)
- Rochester got off to a strong start in the first set, taking a 12-5 lead in the early going. Brandeis found their legs and won six-straight points to close within 12-11 on an Ella Pereira (Redondo Beach, Calif. / Rolling Hills Prep) service ace.
- The Judges tied things up at 16 and UR scored three in a row to snap an 18-all tie as the teams traded points before the hosts won, 25-22.
- In set two, Brandeis took an 8-6 advantage on a Bent kill, but the Yellowjackets took the next five points on the serve of Areti Tsirikaki, and they never trailed again. Brandeis only won consecutive points twice the rest of the way in the set.
- Brandeis led for a good part of the early stages of the third, going up, 11-7, on a service ace from senior Stephanie Borr (Westfield, N.J. / Westfield).
- The rest of the set saw seven ties and five lead changes. Rochester went up, 24-22, but Brandeis held off the first two match points. The Judges had a pair of set points of their own at 25-24 and 26-25, but the Yellowjackets scored the final three points to close it out, 28-26.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORES
- Bent led the Judges in kills in both matches with 12 against Emory and 10 against Rochester. She has double-digit kills in 10 matches this season, including the last four.
- Bent also had 11 digs against UR for her seventh double-double in a Brandeis uniform.
- Junior Rita Lai (Sugar Land, Texas / Clements) and sophomore Lara Verstovsek (Houston, Texas / Episcopal) each had five kills against Emory, while Lai added a team-high three block assists.
- Verstovsek added seven kills against Rochester, while Lai had five blocks (one solo).
- Pereira led Brandeis in digs in both matches with nine against Emory and 13 against Rochester.
- The Judges used a two-setter line-up for the day, with rookie Julia Liang (Sugar Land, Texas / Clements) posting 14 assists and junior Ines Grom-Mansencal (Cincinnati, Ohio / Wyoming) adding 11 against EU; the two had opposite totals against Rochester.
- Service was big in the Emory match, as the Eagles had 12 aces to just three for Brandeis.
- Rochester also had 10-8 advantage in aces, but Brandeis was able to counter with an 8-2 edge in blocks.
UP NEXT
- Brandeis will return to non-conference action with a 6 p.m. match against Johnson and Wales University on Thursday, October 20.