Blue Volleyball Falls to JWU; Defeats Hosts On Day Two at Brandeis Invitational

WALTHAM, Mass. – Wellesley College volleyball rebounded from a 3-0 (11-25, 24-26, 23-25) defeat to Johnson & Wales University to top host Brandeis University, 3-1 (25-19, 15-25, 25-18, 25-19), on day two of the 2016 Brandeis Invitational. Wellesley improves to 2-1 overall on the season following the day's action. 

Johnson & Wales 3, Wellesley 0

The Wildcats handed the Blue their first defeat of the season, storming out to a 25-11 victory in the first before holding on for 26-24 and 25-23 victories in the next two sets.

Sophomore Yasmine Reece (New Rochelle, N.Y.) finished with a team-high 12 kills on 48 attempts for the Blue. Reece also had a team-best eight digs to go along with three solo blocks. First year Kennedy Ulfig (Saline, Mich.) chipped in with six kills and six digs, while sophomore Alex Kew (Winchester, Mass.) added four kills for the Blue. Sophomore setter Michelle Li (Scarsdale, N.Y.) finished with 25 assists. 

Wellesley 3, Brandeis 1 

The Blue blitzed the host Judges in the opening set, winning 25-19 while hitting .400 as a team, en route to their second victory of the tournament. Brandeis countered with a 25-15 second set victory, but went cold in the third set to allow Wellesley to regain the lead with a 25-18 victory. The Blue then closed out the match with a 25-19 win in the fourth set. 

Reece led all players with 17 kills, adding seven digs en route to earning a spot on the All-Tournament team. Sophomore Samantha Hoang (Elk Grove, Calif.) was stellar on defense, digging up a match-high 18 balls to go along with three aces and seven assists. Ulfig followed up on her morning performance with seven kills and nine digs, while sophomore Ashley Peng (San Diego, Calif.) added eight kills to help pace the Blue attack. Li led all players with 28 assists.

For Brandeis, sophomore Grace Krumpack (Cincinnati, Ohio) recorded a double-double with 11 kills and 11 digs. Classmate Yvette Cho (San Diego, Calif.) paced the Judges with 14 digs and an ace. First year Emma Barrett (Duxbury, Mass.) added seven kills on 22 attempts, while sophomores Marlee Nork (Chicago, Ill.) and Leah Pearlman (El Paso, Texas) split the setting duties to finish with 14 and 15 assists, respectively.

Wellesley will return to the court on Friday, September 9, for day one of the MIT Invitational. The Blue will play Bates at 4:30 PM and Tufts at 6:30 PM at Endicott College. Action will continue on Saturday at MIT.

2016 BRANDEIS INVITATIONAL

RESULTS

DAY ONE
Brandeis 3, Smith 0 (25-17, 25-16, 25-15)
Babson 3, Plymouth State 0 (25-23, 25-18, 25-22)
Endicott 3, RIC 1 (22-25, 25-23, 25-20, 25-14)
JWU 3, Endicott 0 (27-25, 25-16, 25-21)
WELLESLEY 3, Plymouth State 2 (18-25, 25-23, 24-26, 25-20, 15-11)

DAY TWO
Brandeis 3, RIC 0 (25-21, 25-16, 25-17)
Endicott 3, USM 1 (23-25, 25-17, 25-14, 27-25)
JWU 3, WELLESLEY 0 (25-11, 26-24, 25-23)
USM 3, Smith 1 (26-24, 25-21, 20-25, 25-21)
Babson 3, RIC 0 (25-14, 25-11, 25-10)
JWU 3, Plymouth State 0 (25-23, 25-12, 25-11)
WELLESLEY 3, Brandeis 1 (25-19, 15-25, 25-18, 25-19)
Endicott 3, Smith 0 (25-13, 25-15, 25-12)