CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Brandeis University volleyball team got a match-high 16 kills from junior
Lara Verstovsek (Houston, Texas/Episcopal), but the Judges couldn't overcome host Case Western Reserve in the final match of the first University Athletic Association Round Robin. Set scores were 25-20, 25-14, 25-21.
TEAM RECORDS
- Brandeis: 5-6, 0-3 UAA.
- Case Western Reserve: 11-4, 2-1 UAA.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Judges put together their third and fourth sets decided by five points or less of the weekend, but were unable to overcome the host Spartans.
- CWRU never trailed in the first set, taking an early 6-2 lead. The Judges closed to within two points on a couple of occasions, but were unable to get over the hump. Brandeis fought off the first four set points before falling, 25-20.
- In the second set, Brandeis won five-straight points on the serve of first-year Olivia Nirode (Keller, Texas/Keller) that turned an 8-5 deficit into a 10-8 lead. The home team responded with an 11-2 run to go ahead, 19-12, and cruised to the 25-14 final.
- The third set saw Brandeis erase a 9-4 deficit to tie things up at 13-all on a block by junior Arianna Jackson (Lewis Center, Ohio/Oletangy Orange). The teams traded the next two points, but three in a row by CWRU was enough to give the Spartans breathing room to see out the set, 25-21.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Verstovsek led all players with 16 kills, her highest total this season in a three-set match.
- Sophomore Anna Ertischek (Montgomery, Texas/Lake Creek) supplied 10 kills, but no other Brandeis player had more than four.
- CWRU won the net game with nine blocks to six from the Judges, with Jackson and junior Tatiana Wainer (North Miami Beach, Fla./Schech Hillel Community) each supplying three.
- Senior Ella Pereira (Redondo Beach, Calif./Rolling Hills Prep) had 16 digs, two short of the match high. Verstovsek added eight and sophomore Megan Margolis (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) had seven.
- Senior setter Ines Grom-Mansencal (Cincinnati, Ohio/Wyoming) had 19 assists.
UP NEXT
- The Judges travel to Roger Williams University next Friday at 6 p.m.