Women's Volleyball

Brandeis Comes From Two Sets Down to Defeat Clark, 3-2

In their first road contest of the season, the Brandeis University volleyball team stormed back from two sets down to defeat host Clark University in five sets. Set scores were 22-25, 18-25, 25-23, 25-12, 15-7.

TEAM RECORDS
  • Brandeis: 5-2.
  • Clark: 7-2.
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • The Cougars got off to their hot start with excellent attacking, hitting .262 compared to the Judges' .181.
  • Clark used a 6-1 run with the opening set tied at 13-all to take a 19-14 lead and they hung on for the 25-22 win. In the second set, the hosts jumped out to a 6-2 lead and never trailed again in the set, winning 25-18.
  • In the critical third set, Clark ran off a five-point run midway through that turned a 9-7 deficit into a 12-9 lead on the serve of Cameron Gill.
  • Brandeis answered with a 5-0 run of their own on the serve of junior Arianna Jackson (Lewis Center, Ohio/Oletangy Orange) that featured two kills and a block by classmate Lara Verstovsek (Houston, Texas/Episcopal). The last kill put the Judges ahead, 17-16.
  • The teams traded points and runs until the set was tied at 23. Brandeis took a one-point lead on a service error by Clark and extended the match, 25-23, on a block by Verstovsek and Jackson.
  • In the fourth and fifth sets, the Brandeis offense found its rhythm, with 19 kills and just three errors in 36 attacks for a .444 hitting percentage. In the fourth, they hit .348 (11 K-3 E-23 TA) before a terrific eight kills without an error in 13 attacks in the fifth for a .615 hitting percentage.
  • The Judges scored 10-straight points on the serve of rookie Olivia Nirode (Keller, Texas/Keller) to turn a 7-7 tie into a 17-7 lead en route to the 25-12 win. In the final set, Brandeis won 10 of the last 12 points to close things out, 15-7.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
  • Verstovsek tied her career-high with 23 kills in the match, with 12 errors in 53 attacks for a /206 hitting percentage. It was her second career match with more than 20 kills.
  • She also had 11 digs for her fourth double-double of the season.
  • Sophomore Anna Ertischek (Montgomery, Texas/Lake Creek) had 13 kills and four errors on 30 attacks for a .300 hitting percentage, her fourth of the season in seven matches.
  • Senior setter Ines Grom-Mansencal (Cincinnati, Ohio/Wyoming) had 33 assists and four kills without an error in seven attacks for a .571 hitting percentage.
  • At the net, Jackson had eight blocks (three solo) as the Judges posted a season-high 12, as three other players were in on at least three.
  • A balanced defense had 60 digs, led by rookies Alexis Pohlmann (St. Louis, Mo./Rockwood Summit) and Nirode with 13 and 12 each, while Verstovsek added 11. Nirode also had a team-high three service aces.