Sections

After playing to an 18-17 record last season (including a disappointing 2-9 in conference play), the Brandeis volleyball team is looking for a spike in success in 2010.

A trio of All-UAA honorees hopes to get them there. After sitting out her freshman year due to injury, Paige Blasco ’11 achieved All-UAA status for the second consecutive season in 2009. Blasco, an outside hitter, led the Judges with 3.41 kills and 2.80 digs per set, third and 16th highest in the UAA, respectively. She tallied 11 double-doubles on the season.

Paige’s twin sister, Abby ’11, has gone All-UAA in each of her first three seasons at Brandeis. Brandeis’ setter, the conference’s 2007 Rookie of the Year, averaged 0.41 service aces and 2.59 digs per set last season. She registered 15 double-doubles and one triple-double to lead Brandeis.

Nicole Smith ’11, the team’s middle blocker, topped the UAA by averaging 1.16 blocks per set and finished second in the conference (and 20th in the nation) with a .366 hitting percentage.

Rookie Yael Einhorn ’14, the Courier Post South Jersey Player of the Year, will back up Abby Blasco at setter. Bella Hu ’13 and Aviva Berezin ’12 are not new to Brandeis but new to Brandeis volleyball; they also join the team for the 2010 campaign.

The squad plays its first game of the season Sept. 1. The Judges take on Babson at 7 p.m. before hitting the road for three games at that weekend’s Springfield College Invitational. Last year, Brandeis defeated Babson 3-0 in the season opener.