Spring Break
VOLLEYBALL: Judges surrender big lead and lose to NYU
by Melissa Siegel
Staff writer
Sports | 10/2/07
Posted online at 8:29 PM EST on 10/1/07
/ Last updated at 12:12 PM EST on 10/1/07
With a two-game lead and a 21-12 point advantage in the third game of its match against host New York University Sunday, it seemed like the volleyball team was well on its way to a winning record at last weekend's University Athletic Association round-robin tournament. But once the Judges gave the Violets new life, the entire match slipped from their grasp.
NYU mounted a furious comeback, winning 21 of the next 31 points in the game and then seizing the next two frames to complete a shocking 3-2 victory over the Judges in Brandeis' third match of the round-robin. The Judges had rebounded from a 3-0 loss Saturday to No. 4 Emory College by defeating the University of Rochester 3-1 earlier Sunday, but the loss to NYU dropped their record to 11-4 on the season.
Some players were at a loss for words when trying to describe what went wrong against NYU.
"I honestly don't know what happened," outside hitter Katie Wrynn '08 said.
"We played really well as a team for the first few games," outside hitter Lorraine Wingenbach '09 said. "Then, things started falling apart, and we couldn't pick it up."
Brandeis held a comfortable 23-16 lead in the third game before the Violets rallied, winning nine of the next 10 points. After the Violets closed the gap to 24-20, Wingenbach had a crucial serving error and NYU regained serve.
The Violets then won four consecutive points on freshman Erin Noonan's serve, but the Judges hung around and finally had a match point at 31-30. Noonan, however, ended that threat with a key kill, and senior Samantha Bivens served consecutive aces to give the Violets a 33-31 victory in the game.
Coach Michelle Kim explained how NYU's rally demoralized the Judges.
"I think NYU stepped up their play, [but] just mentally, when we lost the third game we sort of lost the edge," she said.
The Violets won the fourth game easily, jumping ahead 14-8 and winning 30-26. They also got off to a fast start in the final game, going up 4-0 on Bivens' serve. The lead eventually grew to five points, and a kill by Noonan clinched a 15-11 game victory and the match.
NYU mounted a furious comeback, winning 21 of the next 31 points in the game and then seizing the next two frames to complete a shocking 3-2 victory over the Judges in Brandeis' third match of the round-robin. The Judges had rebounded from a 3-0 loss Saturday to No. 4 Emory College by defeating the University of Rochester 3-1 earlier Sunday, but the loss to NYU dropped their record to 11-4 on the season.
Some players were at a loss for words when trying to describe what went wrong against NYU.
"I honestly don't know what happened," outside hitter Katie Wrynn '08 said.
"We played really well as a team for the first few games," outside hitter Lorraine Wingenbach '09 said. "Then, things started falling apart, and we couldn't pick it up."
Brandeis held a comfortable 23-16 lead in the third game before the Violets rallied, winning nine of the next 10 points. After the Violets closed the gap to 24-20, Wingenbach had a crucial serving error and NYU regained serve.
The Violets then won four consecutive points on freshman Erin Noonan's serve, but the Judges hung around and finally had a match point at 31-30. Noonan, however, ended that threat with a key kill, and senior Samantha Bivens served consecutive aces to give the Violets a 33-31 victory in the game.
Coach Michelle Kim explained how NYU's rally demoralized the Judges.
"I think NYU stepped up their play, [but] just mentally, when we lost the third game we sort of lost the edge," she said.
The Violets won the fourth game easily, jumping ahead 14-8 and winning 30-26. They also got off to a fast start in the final game, going up 4-0 on Bivens' serve. The lead eventually grew to five points, and a kill by Noonan clinched a 15-11 game victory and the match.
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