NORTHAMPTON, Mass. -- The fifth-seeded Brandeis volleyball team
rolled past host Smith College by a 3-0 score in the consolation
semifinals of the 2009 Hall of Fame Invitational, 25-9, 25-12,
25-20, snapping a five-match losing streak in the process. The nine
points allowed in the first set by the Judges matched a season low.
The Judges, who then fell to Wellesley in the fifth-place match,
placed junior setter Abby Blasco (Greeley,
Colo./Frontier Acad.) on the All-Tournament team.
Junior outside hitter Paige Blasco (Greeley,
Colo./Frontier Acad.) led the offensive attack with one her most
efficient matches of the season. Blasco had 11 kills and a .300
hitting percentage, the fifth time she reached the .300 mark this
season. She also added eight digs. Senior right-side player
Piera Carfagno (Los Angeles, Calif./Campbell Hall
School) added 10 kills. Paige's twin sister Abby
had 26 assists and five digs on the match, while junior middle
blocker Nicole Smith (Marietta, Ga./Alan C. Pope)
notched a career-high with five service aces.
In the opening round, coach Michelle Kim's squad won the first
two sets against No. 4-seed MIT, but they were unable to close out
the Engineers, who rallied for a 21-25, 24-26, 25-17, 25-21, 15-9
victory. The Judges were led by the Blasco sisters. Paige had a
team-high 19 kills and tied with Abby for 11 digs. Abby added four
kills and had 38 assists. The double-double performances were the
11th of the season for Abby and the ninth for Paige. Carfagno
added 13 kills with a .265 hitting percentage and eight digs.
In the consolation finals, Wellesley avenged a loss to the
Judges from earlier in the season with a 3-0 victory. Set scores
were 25-22, 25-20, 25-23. Paige Blasco and Carfagno tied for
team-high honors against the Blue with 11 kills each. Abby Blasco
finished with her second double-double of the weekend with 25
assists and 10 digs.
TOURNAMENT
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