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Women’s volleyball: home opener 2022

The Brandeis Judges volleyball team returned to action in Red Auerbach Arena for the 2022 Brandeis Invitational Tournament. The Judges’ home court advantage resulted in a three-game sweep of their competition; Roger Williams University, Colby-Sawyer College, Worcester State University all fell to the Judges in 3 sets. 

Friday night’s home opener of the 2022 season was exciting, as the Judges dominated Roger Williams with scores of 25-13, 25-14, 25-16. In the entire match, the Judges never trailed by more than two points. Sydney Bent (GRAD), the Judges’ graduate transfer, served eight straight points to increase her squad’s lead to 14-4 early in the first set. Tied at 9-all in the second set, Ella Pereira ’24 increased the Brandeis lead to 16-9, serving seven consecutive points; Pereira helped the Judges close out the second set on a 16-5 run. The third set was a nail biter for Brandeis fans, as there were 10 ties and six lead changes. Akin to Pereira, Lara Verstovesk ’25 had a run of seven consecutive serves to allow the Judges to break away from the Hawks; the Brandeis squad scored 13 of the last 17 points of the set. 

In the first game of the season, multiple players contributed to the three-set sweep over the visiting Roger Williams Hawks. Verstovesk led all players with 13.5 points and a match-high 10 kills. This was Verstovesk’s 15th career match with double digit kills; and she finished the game with three block assists and two aces, too. First year Anna Ertischek ’26 added seven kills and Bent, a former All-ACC player at the University of Notre Dame, finished her first game as a Brandeis Judge with five kills, four aces and three block assists. Rita Lai ’24 had five kills and a match-high five blocks and Arianna Jackson ’25, a sophomore on the Judges’ roster, had a career high five kills in her first career start. Ines Grom-Mansencal ’24 controlled the Judges’ offensive successfully with 29 assists, while also contributing defensively, tying Stephanie Borr ’23 with seven digs.

In an early morning matchup against Colby-Sawyer, the Judges recorded an impressive hitting percentage of .393, with seven different players registering multiple kills and hitting above .400. Ertischek paced the way for the Judges in the second set, totaling four kills. Borr served the Judges to a quick and perfect start in the third set; 10 kills and a service ace allowed the Judges to begin the third set 11-0. Overall, the Judges defeated Colby-Sawyer 25-12, 25-12, 25-8. Offensively, the Brandeis squad played a solid gameErtischek added seven blocks, while Verstovesk registered six kills. The Judges have setter Grom-Mansencal to appreciate for increased efficiency, as she helped set her squad up for success with 31 assists. Classmate Pereira protected the Judges’ home court with 18 digs. 

While the set scores were the closest of the tournament (25-17, 25-17, 25-15), the Judges never trailed Worcester State in the final match-up of the Brandeis Invitational. Ertischek put on a show in Red Auerbach Arena, reaching double-digit kills for the first time in her career10 in three errors in 17 attempts. Ertischek’s impressive all-around performance in the invitational earned her her first Brandeis Athlete of the Week honors. Bent added eight kills, while Verstovsek had seven; both players each totaled two block assists and three service aces. Lai was efficient both offensively and defensively, finishing with six kills and a team-high three block assists; Grom-Mansencal totaled 21 assists in addition to seven digs, and Pereira had a match-high 11 digs. 

The Judges look to continue their success on the road with their next match up at Emerson College at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 8.

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