WALTHAM, MA – The University of Rochester volleyball team wrapped up University Athletic Association round robin play on Sunday, falling to #12 Washington University in St. Louis 3-1 and host Brandeis University 3-0.
 
The Yellowjackets will be the eighth seed at next month's UAA Championships and currently have a 13-8 overall record, with an 0-7 mark in conference matches.
 
In the opener, UR held its own against the 12th-ranked Bears on Sunday, taking a set against a nationally-ranked opponent for the second time in UAA play. Earlier this season against #9 Emory, UR swiped a third set victory, just like during Sunday's matchup with WashU.
 
In the opening set, the Bears capitalized on two kills from McKenzie Washington and two UR errors to edge in front 9-5, breaking a 5-all tie in the early going. WashU maintained that four or five-point lead until Ruby Moore had an ace to pull the Yellowjackets within two, down 17-15. A service error on the Yellowjackets gave the Bears the momentum back, eventually earning the 25-20 set win.
 
Set two saw Washington start strong, earning a 9-3 lead. Later on in the set, Rochester fought back to within one following a Sonia McGaffigan service ace, but again the Yellowjackets were unable to break through to tie the score. The Bears held off in the second for the 25-19 win.
 
Neither team grabbed control of the third set until the Yellowjackets scored four of five points to jump in front 14-11. During the stretch Paige Stephenson smacked a kill and Ashley Cook and McGaffigan stuffed a block at the net.
 
UR maintained its lead until the Bears rattled off four straight points knotting the set at 18-18. The teams battled back and forth to 22-all before a kill from Washington and a UR attack error gave the Bears match point.
 
Rochester fought it off though, with McGaffigan and McDonald providing a block at the net and Moore earning a kill to tie the set at 24. Moore added another kill to put UR in front, forcing a Bears timeout. A Wash U block again tied it at 25-25, but kills from McGaffigan and Moore ended the set in favor of Rochester 27-25.
 
After the Yellowjackets took the third set, Washington-St. Louis was determined to respond, earning a big lead in set four, jumping out in front 9-2. UR got back within three at 10-7 in the set, but the Bears went on another big run to eventually take the set 25-16, earning the 3-1 win in the match.
 
McGaffigan finished with a big game for UR against WashU, recording 13 kills, 6 aces, 5 blocks and 5 digs. Moore added 11 kills and 4 digs, while Cook finished with 5 kills and nine digs. McDonald was the top setter with 32 assists, adding 5 digs and 3 kills.
 
In the nightcap, Brandeis surged to a 25-18 win in set one, won a tight 26-24 set two and clinched the sweep with a 25-16 victory in set three.
 
Brandeis' key run in the opening set was a five-point stretch to break an 11-11 tie, going in front 16-11, eventually posting the eight-point set win.
 
Set two was the most competitive, with the Yellowjackets leading by as many as five, up 11-6. UR got to 20 points first, leading 20-16, but a late set push from Brandeis fought off two set points at 24-22, knotting the score at 24-all. The run continued with a Judges ace and kill to earn the comeback 26-24 win.
 
During the third set, Brandeis used a four-point run to jump ahead 18-11, with Ines Grom-Mansenecal providing two kills and Lara Verstovsek earning another for the Judges. That lead was maintained the rest of the way, with Brandeis closing out the match with a 25-18 set win.
 
Moore again was one of UR's top attackers, finishing with nine kills on 17 attempts, hitting .353 for the match. McGaffigan, Bri Jones, Myla Nover-Estes and Megan Cahall all finished with four kills for Rochester. McDonald added 22 more assists while Cook (11 digs) and La'i Yuen (8 digs) were the top defenders on the back line.
 
Rochester is back in action next weekend with three matches, one on the road at RIT on Friday and two on Saturday at home against Alfred and Oneonta.