BOSTON, Mass. - Both sophomore Fara Cohen (Morristown, N.J.) and freshman Bella Edwards (Palisades, Calif.) registered double-doubles, but it was not enough as the Emerson women's volleyball team were defeated 3-1 by Wellesley in their first NEWMAC matchup at Brown & Plofker gym on Tuesday night. 

Emerson falls to 7-3, while Wellesley improves to 5-3. 

Both Emerson and Wellesley remained neck-and-neck with one another through the beginning of the first set for the score never differentiated more than two. The Blue got within one at 11-10 on a kill by sophomore Yasmine Reece (New Rochelle, N.Y.), but the Lions followed up with a 5-1 run, including two kills from senior Jules Augustine (Skaneateles, N.Y.), that allowed them pull ahead by five at 16-11. Wellesley threatened in the later stages of the first set and came within one at 24-23, but a kill from Cohen sealed the tight 25-23 win. 

A .065 kill percentage from the Lions allowed the Blue to square the match at 1-all in a 25-19 victory. Wellesley capitalized on mishaps from Emerson and gained their largest lead of the set on a service ace from sophomore Samantha Ostenso (Hopkins, Minn.) to give the Blue an 11-point cushion at 18-7. Two late runs from the Purple & Yellow allowed them to come within five of the Blue at 24-19, but a kill from Reece closed to book on the second set victory for Wellesley. 

The Lions jumped out a quick 6-2 lead to begin the third frame, but it was short-lived. Kennedy Ulfig's kill was the equalizer to square the game at 6-all and was followed up by two more kills and two Lions' attack mishaps to put Wellesley up 9-7. After Wellesley was starting to distance themselves away from Emerson at 17-12, the Lions surged and came within one at 17-16 on a 4-0 run as they capitalized on errors from the Blue. Emerson was not going away quietly for they got within one two more times, but like the second set, Reece closed out the set with another kill as Wellesley took the 25-23 win.

Emerson found themselves playing from behind once again to start out the fourth and final frame, but still managed to keep Wellesley in their sights and came within one at 10-9 on a kill from Edwards. Wellesley followed up with a 9-2 run that put eight points between them and Emerson at 19-11. The Lions were only able to register three more points within the set for the Blue surged their way to a late 6-1 run to lift them to a 25-14 fourth set triumph. 

Edwards and Cohen led the Purple & Yellow as they each registered double-doubles. Edwards tallied 11 kills and 16 digs, while Cohen notched 15 kills and 10 digs. Sophomore Moira Brennan (Glenview, Ill.) had 36 helpers, seven digs and one block. Augustine had five kills, two digs and one block.

Reece paced the Blue with a double-double with 25 kills, a service ace, 12 digs and one block, while junior Samantha Hoang (Elk Grove, Calif.) registered 29 digs. Sophomore Ashley Peng (San Diego, Calif.) recorded nine kills, eight kills and one block. Ulfig had six kills, two service aces and 14 digs. Both junior Alina Mota (Glendora, Calif.) and sophomore Michelle Li (Scarsdale, N.Y.) recorded five kills each. 

Emerson returns to the court on Thursday as they head to Suffolk for a 7:00 p.m. matchup. Wellesley will head down to Emory for the Emory Invitational in Atlanta, Ga. on Friday-Saturday.