WALTHAM, MA – University of Rochester women's volleyball fell to the Brandeis University Judges, 3-0, on Sunday morning inside Red Auerbach Arena in the University Athletic Association (UAA) Women's Volleyball Championship Seventh-Place Match.
 
Brandeis took control of the first set early, scoring the first 11 points of the match as the 'Jackets were forced to spend both of their timeouts within the first 11 serves. Down 11-0, Rylee Bergeron got Rochester on the board and slowed the Judges' run, while kills from Lilly Kraemer and Myla Nover-Estes helped cut into the deficit.
 
However, after Rochester pulled within eight, 14-6, on Nover-Estes' kill from Iliana Balaskas, Brandeis went on another run, scoring seven of the next eight points to take a 21-7 lead. The Judges then finished off the set with four of the final five points, taking the first set, 25-9, on Alexa Ho's ace, to take a 1-0 match lead.
 
The Yellowjackets kept things close early on in set two, with three-straight points on Katie Westerheim's serve putting URochester in front early. The 'Jackets led, 11-9, following two points from Bergeron, an ace and a kill, and tied the score at 13-all on a kill from Sancia Williams, but four straight from the Judges put Brandeis on top for good.
 
Claudia Abner's kill extended Brandeis' lead to 17-13 out of a UR timeout, while the Judges answered back-to-back Balaskas aces with three points of their own to prevent the 'Jackets from getting the deficit any closer than two.
 
Trailing 23-18, Bergeron smashed another kill, but Anna Ertischek answered with a pair for Brandeis, giving the Judges the set, 25-19.
 
Looking to extend the match, the Yellowjackets scored six of the first eight points of the third set, taking a 6-2 lead on back-to-back Nover-Estes' kills. However, the Judges clawed back and took the lead on Isabella Irizarry's service ace, and built their lead up to seven, 18-11, with a 12-3 run.
 
The 'Jackets answered back with a flurry of their own, as kills from Bergeron, Kraemer, Nover-Estes and Williams made it a four-point game, 20-16, and then 21-17, but two quick Brandeis points forced URochester to take its second timeout.
 
Out of the timeout, Bergeron sent over another kill to cut Brandeis' lead to five, 23-18, but Colette Ejang and Ertischek finished off the set and match for the Judges, giving Brandeis the set, 25-18, and the three-set win.
 
Offensively, Bergeron led Rochester with 13 kills, while Balaskas tallied a team-high 21 assists. Balaskas and Westerheim each had a pair of aces, while Weeks contributed a team-high nine digs.
 
With the loss, the Yellowjackets wrap up the season at 4-23, while the Judges move to 13-18 with the win.