ATLANTA, Ga. – The Brandeis University volleyball team drew a top-10 ranked opponent for the second-straight match at the 2023 University Athletic Association championships at Emory University, and the Judges couldn't hang on against the #9 Washington University Bears, losing in straight sets today.

TEAM RECORDS

• 7-seed Brandeis: 10-17.
• 3-seed Washington U: 23-8, ranked #9 in Division III by AVCA.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• After the Judges fell to #7-ranked NYU in the opening round of the tournament, the #9 Bears were upset by Case Western Reserve.
• In facing a top-10 team for the second match in a row, the Judges lost by set scores of 25-15, 25-17, 25-17.
• Brandeis won the first two points of the match, then fell behind, 3-2. They reclaimed a brief 4-3 advantage before WashU rattled off four straight and 10 of the next 12 to take a 13-6 lead that was not really tested again.
• In set 2, the teams traded 4-0 runs to open the frame. Brandeis stayed within a point of WashU, and the set was tied at 15-all after a Lara Verstovsek (Houston, Texas/Episcopal) kill, but WashU answered with a 5-0 run to go ahead 20-15, and the Bears never looked back.
• The third set saw Washington open up a 7-2 lead, and they were able to hold the Judges at bay the rest of the way.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Verstovsek led the Judges with nine kills, while junior Arianna Jackson (Lewis Center, Ohio/Oletangy Orange)  and sophomore Anna Ertischek (Montgomery, Texas/Lake Creek) had five each.
• Jackson also led all players with four blocks (two solo).
• Sophomore setter Julia Liang (Sugar Land, Texas/Clements) had 20 assists, while senior libero Ella Pereira (Redondo Beach, Calif./Rolling Hills Prep) had a match-high 13 digs.

UP NEXT

• The Judges will meet the University of Rochester tomorrow in the seventh-place match tomorrow at 10 a.m. The Judges defeated the Yellowjackets in the regular season.