Brandeis Sinks Coast Guard, 3-1

Brandeis Sinks Coast Guard, 3-1

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Adam Levin '94

The Brandeis University volleyball team used a terrific fourth-set comeback today to complete a 3-1 victory over the visiting United States Coast Guard Academy in Red Auerbach Arena. Set scores were 25-22, 25-21, 20-25, 25-22.

TEAM RECORDS
  • Brandeis: 7-7.
  • Coast Guard: 13-5.
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • The Judges jumped out to a 2-0 lead thanks to an efficient offense. The Judges hit .240 in the first set and .333 in the second for a combined .293 effort, while holding the Bears to .129 in each of the first two sets.
  • Junior Lara Verstovsek (Houston, Texas/Episcopal) had 14 kills through the first two sets, while sophomore Anna Ertischek (Montgomery, Texas/Lake Creek) had six kills in her first seven attempts for an .857 percentage.
  • The Judges also had terrific net presence through the first two sets, making eight team blocks to CGA's four. Junior Arianna Jackson (Lewis Center, Ohio/Oletangy Orange) had five block assists in that span.
  • Coast Guard bounced back to take the third set, as the Judges hit just .065 (10 K-8 E-31 TA) compared to a match-high .250 for the visitors (11 K-4 E-28 TA).
  • The fourth set appeared to see the Bears' momentum continue, as the visitors jumped out to a 12-3 lead.
  • After Brandeis got the serve back on a kill by Ertischek, Jackson did not relinquish it until the Judges had tied things as 12.
  • Five of Brandeis's nine points during the run came via the block, with junior Tatiana Wainer (North Miami Beach, Fla./Schech Hillel Community) picking four assists and one solo.
  • The Judges gave up momentum briefly on a blocking error, but three-straight kills from Wainer, senior Rita Lai (Sugar Land, Texas/Clements) and Ertischek put Brandeis ahead, 15-13.
  • Coast Guard rallied to take leads of 18-17 and 22-21, but Brandeis made sure not to let them extend any further, and they closed the match on a 4-0 run with back-to-back service aces by senior setter Ines Grom-Mansencal (Cincinnati, Ohio/Wyoming).
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
  • Verstovsek led all players with a season- and career-high 24 kills. It's her third 20-kill match of the season and the fourth of her career. She also added 11 digs for her sixth double-double of the season.
  • Verstovsek had nine errors in 59 attempts for a .254 hitting percentage.
  • Ertischek finished with 13 kills and two errors in 25 attempts for a .440 hitting percentage.
  • Grom-Mansencal had 19 assists and three service aces, while sophomore Julia Liang (Sugar Land, Texas/Clements) had 18 assists off the bench.
  • Senior Ella Pereira (Redondo Beach, Calif./Rolling Hills Prep) had 17 digs to lead the defensive effort as the Judges had 50 as a team.
  • At the net, Brandeis finished with 18 blocks, with Jackson and Wainer each establishing career-highs with nine. Wainer had one solo block, while all of Jackson's were assists.