Last weekend, the volleyball team clinched the Brandeis Invitational in convincing fashion, sweeping all three of its opponents. With a 5-2 record, the Judges looked like a completely different team than the one that was defeated by Wellesley College last Tuesday night in straight sets.

Captain and setter Yael Einhorn '14 said that she was impressed with the team's turnaround following two straight losses.

"Last week we struggled with a lot of injuries and were moving people in and out of positions they weren't used to," she said. "This weekend everyone came back, and we played together as a team and were able to pull out three wins."

The girls sealed the championship in their final match of the Invitational, dominating Rhode Island College by scores of 25-12, 25-15 and 25-18 last Saturday. The Judges notched the first point in the opening set and never looked back. The team was paced by outside hitter Liz Hood '15, who nailed an impressive 10 kills in the first set alone. Brandeis jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the second set, and, with RIC threatening to close in, Einhorn reeled off five consecutive service aces to clinch the set. The biggest challenge for the Judges came in the third set as they let a 7-point lead shrink down to 2. Only up 14-12, coach Michelle Kim called a time-out, and the team then pulled it together, only allowing 6 more points as the Judges earned the sweep of RIC.

Hood finished the day with a career-high 18 kills, an impressive total, especially for a rookie. Einhorn finished the day with 25 assists and also contributed six service aces. Libero Elsie Bernaiche '15 led the team with 19 digs while middle blocker Becca Fischer '13 chipped in another six kills.

Brandeis ended play last Friday by finishing off Bates College in straight sets, 25-22, 25-14 and 25-21. The Judges were slow out of the gate in the first set, allowing the Bobcats to narrow the gap to 20-19, but Bernaiche sealed the set with 4-straight service points, leading to a 25-22 win. For the next two sets, the Judges seized control of the match for good.

Hood led the team in kills with 11. Middle blocker Lauren Berens '13 finished the match with seven kills and three blocks, while Fischer added six kills. Bernaiche once again set the pace for the defense, leading the team with 19 digs.

Looking to end their two-game losing streak heading into the Brandeis Invitational, the Judges started the tournament by sweeping Babson College with scores of 25-18, 26-24 and 25-19. Brandeis had trouble pulling away from the Beavers at the beginning of the first set, holding on to a slim 13-12 lead. However, Brandeis then proceeded to go on an 8-1 run to pull away for a 25-18 win. The second set was the most thrilling, going into overtime. The Judges could not capitalize on multiple set points, but thanks to kills by Fischer and Hood, Brandeis pulled out the win. By the third set, the Judges jumped out to a big lead, cruising to a 25-19 win and a 3-0 sweep.

Hood once again stepped up for the Judges, racking up 11 kills and four digs. Berens contributed six kills, while Bernaiche led the team in digs with 12. Einhorn added 21 assists to pace the team.

Still reeling from their Sept. 3 loss to Western Connecticut State University, the Judges were swept last Tuesday by Wellesley by scores of 25-14, 25-21 and 25-17. The Blue took control of the first set from the opening serve as they jumped ahead 5-0 and never relinquished the lead.

Einhorn noted that the team's youth would lead to many similararly tough learning experiences.

"We are a really young team," she said. "This year is a building year for all of us, but we are all still working on getting to know each other and how everyone plays."

Still, the captain was impressed with the way that the team stepped up over the weekend.

"I think that everyone on the team has contributed a lot in terms of leadership," she said. "Volleyball is a very vocal sport; everyone is always talking when we play and getting into huddles. I am so proud of everyone for stepping up and taking different responsibilities."

The team ends its home stand tomorrow night against Endicott College at 7 p.m. On Saturday, the Judges will travel to Colby-Sawyer College for a doubleheader, taking on Emmanuel College and then Colby-Sawyer.