ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Despite an early spark from senior Abby Kennedy (Half Moon Bay, Calif./ Half Moon Bay) and a competitive stretch in the third quarter, the Brandeis University women's basketball team could not overcome a strong all-around performance by the University of Rochester, falling on the road Sunday afternoon, 71–47.

TEAM RECORDS

• Brandeis, 13-9, 3-8 UAA.
• Rochester, 10-12, 3-8 UAA.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The game got off to a slow start, with no baskets scored within the first 3 minutes of the game until Rochester's Deniz Alparslan got the scoring started with a layup with 6:55 on the clock.
• Kennedy quickly followed up with two baskets in a row, bringing the Judges ahead 5-2. 
• The contest was still tied at 9-all with 3:32 left in the first, but the Yellowjackets scored the final five points to take a 14-9 lead into the second that they would not relinquish.
• Rochester's offense continued into the 2nd quarter, extending the run to 12 straight points, taking a 21-9 lead with 6:36 to go in the half. 
• Brandeis junior Sofia Berisha (Old Tappan, N.J./ Winchendon School) scored two baskets to begin to close the gap.
• With a 3-pointer by graduate student Elena Delicado (Madrid, Spain/ IES Parque de Lisboa) and two successful free throws by sophomore Saviah Shabazz (Plano, Tex./ Plano West), the Judges began to gain momentum, but the Yellowjackets continued to hold their lead through the 2nd quarter, taking a 34-22 lead into halftime.
• The Judges' offense began to improve through the 3rd quarter as they kept Rochester to only a 14-11 run, but they still remained behind by 15 points, 48-33, as the quarter finished.
• Rochester continued to be unstoppable through the last quarter, with a 16-5 run through the first 5 minutes.
• Despite 6 free throws by the Judges in the last 6 minutes and multiple baskets by Kennedy, including a three-pointer, they were not able to catch up to the Yellowjackets, who triumphed with a final score of 71-47.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Kennedy led the Judges with 14 points, adding two rebounds and a block.
• Delicado followed with nine points and a steal, while Shabazz and Berisha chipped in eight points each. Berisha also pulled down five rebounds and handed out two assists.
• Senior Katherine Vaughan (Bedford, Mass./ Bedford) led Brandeis with eight rebounds and a game-high four blocks as the team's all-time leader in blocked shots, while senior Maya Williams (Redondo Beach, Calif./ Redondo Union) added five boards and two blocks. As a team, the Judges totaled eight blocks on the defensive end.
• For Rochester, Franki Gomez led all scorers with 17 points and added seven rebounds, while Grace Corelli recorded a double-double with 13 points and a game-high 11 rebounds to anchor the Yellowjackets' effort.
• Brandeis shot 24.6 percent from the field (15-61), including 33.3 percent from three-point range (4-12), and converted 81.3 percent at the free throw line (13-16). The Judges were outrebounded, 48-38, and committed 18 turnovers, which Rochester turned into 15 points.
• Rochester shot 40.6 percent from the floor (26-64), and scored 32 points in the paint while adding 12 steals and 20 second-chance points to achieve their 71-47 win.

UP NEXT

• Brandeis returns home on Friday, Feb. 20, to host the University of Chicago in a UAA contest at 7:30 p.m. in Waltham.