NEW YORK, N.Y. – The Brandeis University volleyball team started its 2024 gauntlet of University Athletic Association contests today with a pair of losses. The Judges fell to Chicago, just outside of the AVCA Top 25, by a 3-0 score (25-20, 25-14, 27-25) in their opener. In the second match, they took a set off #13 NYU, but couldn't knock off the Violets on their home court, 3-1 (25-21, 16-25, 25-19, 25-15).
TEAM RECORDS
- Brandeis, 9-7, 0-2 UAA.
- Chicago, 15-2, 1-0 UAA.
- NYU, 10-5, 1-1 UAA.
HOW IT HAPPENED, CHICAGO (20-25, 24-25, 25-27)
- The Maroons used quality serving and net play to get past the Judges in the first match. The teams' kill totals were close, 31-30, in favor of UC. Chicago owned a 10-5 advantage in service aces and an 8-3 blocking advantage.
- Brandeis also made a few more attacking errors, 18-14, leading to a .221-.140 deficit in hitting percentage.
- The teams hit an identical .097 in the first set, before Chicago rolled to the second with a .261 to -.160 in the second.
- Brandeis bounced back with an impressive .433 mark in the third, but Chicago wasn't too far behind at .348. The Judges denied Chicago on their first two match points, but the Maroons converted the third for the 27-25 win.
- Brandeis junior Anna Ertischek (Montgomery, Texas/Lake Creek) had 11 kills to lead all players in the match, while senior Lara Verstovsek (Houston, Texas/Episcopal) and first-year Madison Haft-Abromovitch (Stamford, Conn./Rye CDS) had seven each.
- First-year Isabella Irizarry (Guaynabo, P.R./Cupeyville School) had a match-high eight digs, while sophomore Julia Liang (Sugar Land, Texas/Clements) had 10 assists.
HOW IT HAPPENED, NYU (21-25, 25-16, 19-25, 15-25)
- The Judges and Violets split the first two sets, with NYU hitting .333 in the first to take it 25-21 and the Judges hitting .313 in the second for the 25-16 victory.
- The hosts were able to hold the Brandeis offense in check in the third and fourth, as the Judges had just as many kills as errors in the last two sets combined.
- NYU also edged Brandeis in aces, 13-10, and doubled up the Judges in blocks, 12-6.
- Verstovsek had a fine all-around match with 12 kills, seven digs and six service aces. Ertischek reached double digit kills for the second match in a row and 10th time this season. Haft-Abromovitch contributed seven kills for the second-straight match.
- Irizarry just missed match-high honors with 17 digs, while first-year Alexa Ho (Queens, N.Y./Francis Lewis) paced the Judges with 19 assists.
- Senior Tatiana Wainer (Miami, Fla./Schech Hillel Community) had four blocks (one solo), tied with three NYU players for match-high.
UP NEXT
- The Judges will look to knock off Carnegie Mellon tomorrow at 10 a.m. for their first UAA win of the season.
