The women's volleyball team, ranked No. 6 in New England by the New England Women's Volleyball Association, got a boost over the weekend from a familiar face: senior outside hitter Paige Blasco '11. The Judges finished the weekend 1-2 at the Amherst Classic, where they defeated No. 10 Middlebury College 3-2 and lost 3-1 to the No. 11 United States Coast Guard Academy and 3-0 to No. 9 Amherst College.

In the win over Middlebury, Blasco led the team with 17 kills and 17 digs. She also had 18 kills and 12 digs in the loss to the Coast Guard, her sixth double-double of the season.

Against Amherst, Blasco had six kills but led the team with 15 digs.

Blasco thought the team improved its play after the loss to Amherst on Friday.

"The first day [against Amherst] was not as good as we could've played, but the next day against Middlebury and Coast Guard, we played more as a team," Blasco said. "Coach [Michelle Kim] felt we worked together as a team, which had not happened in the past."

As a senior, Blasco will look to lead the team for the rest of the season, including next weekend's University Athletic Association Round Robin Tournament, where the team will play defending national champion and No. 1 Washington University in St. Louis, according to the Bison/American Volleyball Coaches Association poll.

"As a leader and one of the only seniors on the team, they look to me to get that big point," Blasco said. "And that's my role as a leader-when we need a big point and momentum."

In her career at Brandeis, Blasco believes she has grown as player.

"I've become a smarter player, not going for the bigger kill," Blasco said. "I try and place it instead of just hitting the ball as hard as I can.