GENEVA, N.Y. – The Brandeis University volleyball team dropped the last two matches of its regular season today, as the Judges fell in three sets to host William Smith College (18-25, 18-25, 14-25) and in four sets to SUNY Cortland (25-22, 14-25, 16-25, 21-25).

TEAM RECORDS

• Brandeis, 12-16.
• William Smith, 20-6.
• SUNY Cortland, 22-6.

HOW IT HAPPENED vs WILLIAM SMITH (18-25, 18-25, 14-25)

• The Herons were in control for much of the match, which saw just four lead changes and 10 ties, most early in sets.
• The Judges' best chance to take a set came in the second, when they rallied from a 16-9 deficit to tie things up at 17, but William Smith answered by closing on an 8-1 run to take it.
• Brandeis's offense was paced by senior Anna Ertischek (Montgomery, Texas/Lake Creek), who had eight kills. It was only the fifth time this season she has been held to single digits in kills.
• First-year Colette Ejang (Los Angeles, Calif./Taft Charter School) had five kills and a team-high four blocks (two solo).  
• Sophomore Isabella Irizarry (Guaynabo, P.R./Cupeyville School) distributed 10 assists and led the defense with nine digs, tied with first-year Lara Demoraes (Plantation, Fla./Cypress Bay).

HOW IT HAPPENED vs SUNY CORTLAND (25-22, 14-25, 18-25, 14-25)

• Brandeis raced out to leads of 6-2 and 10-4 early in first set against the Red Dragons.
• Cortland rallied to tie things up at 18-all, keeping it close until 21-all.
• A service error gave the ball back to the Judges with a one-point lead, and sophomore Madison Haft-Abromovitch (Stratford, Conn./Rye Country Day School) served the Judge to within set point. The teams traded service errors, giving Brandeis the 25-22 win.
• The Red Dragons took control of the next two sets, holding the Brandeis offense in check as the Judges had an equal number of kills and attack errors as Cortland won, 25-14 and 25-16.
• Cortland never trailed in the fourth set, racing out to a 6-0 lead that they extended to 8-1. The Judges were able to close late, getting within 19-18, but they couldn't get over the hump, falling 25-21.
• Ertischek tied for match-high honors with 17 kills against the Red Dragons, while Haft-Abromovitch added eight as well as a team-high four blocks (one solo). Both players also had two service aces.
• Sophomore Alexa Ho (Queens, N.Y./Francis Lewis) had 21 assists, while Demoraes paced the defense with 10 digs.

UP NEXT

• The Judges will meet #13 Washington University in the opening round of the University Athletic Association tournament next Saturday at home in Waltham.