Waltham, Mass. - Opening a two-game homestand versus UAA opponents, the Brandeis University women's basketball team fell flat against Rochester, which is ranked No. 10 nationally by D3Hoops.com, 63-40.

The Judges led 12-7 after the first quarter, holding the visitors scoreless for a five-minute stretch to end the period. Rochester outscored Brandeis, 37-16, over the next two quarters. Trailing 23-19, at the half, Brandeis junior Kyla Gabriel (Tivoli, N.Y./Red Hook) scored the first three points of the third from the line to get the Judges within one at 23-22 at the 8:26 mark.

Rochester answered by scoring the next seven points in a row, including four by leading scorer Alexandra Leslie, that helped build a 31-22 lead. The squads traded baskets, before UR closed the third on a 9-0 run on just three possessions, with Mary Kronenwetter completing a traditional three-point play and Lauren Deming hitting a pair of 3-pointers to give the visitors a 44-28 lead at the break. They scored the first five points of the fourth to make it a 14-0 run in five minutes, taking a 49-28 lead on a triple by senior guard Kayla Kibling with 7:43 remaining. Deming finished with eight points during the run.

For the game, junior forward Sydney Sodine (Dix Hills, N.Y./ Half Hollow Hills West)  led the Judges with eight points. Gabriel  had six points and recorded a team-high eight rebounds, both one shy of her career-high.

Leslie led the 'Jackets with 16 points, eight rebounds and four blocked shots. The 6-2 Leslie is her team's leading scorer and rebounder this season. Deming finished with 13 points, while Brynn Lauer had four assists. Rochester won the rebounding battle, 52-33, and outscored Brandeis on second-chance points, 14-4. They also held the Judges to 22.4% shooting (13-58) from the floor and 40 points, both season lows.

Rochester improves its record to 12-1 overall, 2-0 UAA, while Brandeis drops to 7-6 overall, 0-2 UAA.

The Judges will host Emory University in a UAA doubleheader this Sunday, January 17. The men tip off at 11 a.m., followed by the women at 1 p.m.

-- by Emmett Greenberg '16