Notre Dame Tops Brandywine In First United East Match

MEDIA, Pa. -- Penn State Brandywine suffered its second 3-0 (25-16, 25-12, 25-15) defeat to Notre Dame of Maryland University in four days as the teams opened up United East Conference volleyball play on Tuesday night.

Brandywine netted the first two points of the night, but the Gators responded with an 8-1 run. Notre Dame led by as many as 13 points during the opening set before a late Brandywine run cut the deficit as low as eight. An error gave Notre Dame the opening set by a count of 25-16.

Notre Dame scored 12 of the first 15 points to lead set No. 2, 12-3. Emma O'Reilly (Horsham, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) notched a kill and Hailey Piccirillo (Broadlands, Va./Virginia Academy) set down an ace as Brandywine collected four-straight points to get within five, but the visitors answered with eight consecutive points to seize control of the set and claim a 2-0 lead.

The Gators scored five-straight points to open the final frame and later pushed the lead to double figures by tallying another 5-0 spurt. Brandywine trimmed the margin to seven thanks to a kill from Piccirillo and Anna Ramirez's (Exton, Pa./Downingtown East) ace; however, Notre Dame recorded the final three points of the night to claim the straight-set victory.

O'Reilly and Ramirez both tallied six kills, while Morgan Rizer (Denton, Md./North Caroline) produced three and Laura Jezyk (Wilmington, Del./St. Elizabeth) handed out 12 assists. Ramirez and Piccirillo each collected two aces.

O'Reilly, Ramirez and Britney Howell (Newark, Del./Delcastle Tech) paced the defense with six digs each. Lexie Berry (Brookhaven, Pa./Daegu) notched a team-best three blocks, while Rizer, Piccirillo and O'Reilly all had a pair of blocks.

Brandywine (2-11, 0-1 UEC) will hit the road for four-straight matches beginning Thursday at Penn State Abington (7:00 PM).