This is a game the entire Judges volleyball team would love to take back.

After starting the match strong with two straight wins (30-15, 30-27), they dropped the last three (22-30, 28-30, 10-15), ending with a heartbreaker in the fifth game.

Oh my god, I have no idea what to say. Violette Ruggiero 09 said No questions about it, we should have won the game.

Lorraine Wingenbach 09 led the offense with 14 kills and tied teammate Ashley Powers 08 with 4 service aces. Jenny Sandler 08 continued her consistent all-energy effort with 21 digs on defense while Ruggiero offered up 32 assists. Unfortunately, a telling stat from the game was 37. That was the number of errors the Judges committed.

We just need to work harder and play better defense. Wigenbach told me.
This follows Brandeis splitting a tri-match where they fell to Endicott (23-30, 29-31, 25-30), a team they arguably should have beaten, and then rebounding to destroy Clark (30-19, 30-19, 30-21). Wigenbach led with 12 kills and 12 digs against Endicott and 18 kills against Clark.

When asked, one player told me, Theyre [Endicott] a strong team but had we been playing our best we could have, we should have soyeah.

The loss to Emmanuel (2-0) drops Brandeis to 3-5 and leaves them searching for answers.

Coach Michelle Kim offered her sentiments about the game.

The first match we won pretty easily. Emmanuel I dont think was playing their best that time. Second game they came out stronger, it was more evenly matched. Third and fourth game, they played great defense, I have to give that to them.

Coach Kim though echoed the players shared belief that they should have won this game and what she felt needed to improve the most.

Off the court, team chemistry is excellent. We just need to carry it onto the court and try to make it work to our advantageWe cant be making physical and mental errors where were beating ourselves and it is frustrating. Having a losing record at the beginning of the year is frustrating and discouraging.

Kim expressed happiness though in the way they rebounded from Emmanuel to defeat Clark and how the team never gave up against Emmanuel.

Theyre hard-working kids, Ill always say that, they are hard-working athletes, we have common team goals and well work together to achieve them.

Now, Coach Kim hopes that this upcoming weekend off will allow the Judges to gather their energy and come out fired up for the home opener against Eastern Nazarene.
There is talent and energy out on the womens volleyball court. The only thing left to do is to pick up the pieces and defend their home turf on Tuesday. There are plenty of games left and they have yet to face a conference opponent. Ill be there to root them on Tuesday and I hope others follow suit.