WALTHAM, Mass. - Senior Jules Augustine (Skaneateles, N.Y.) and freshman Bella Edwards (Palisades, Calif.) tallied a combined 27 kills in a four set victory over Brandeis in non-conference action at the Red Auerbach Arena on Thursday night. 

With the win, Emerson improves to 10-4, while Brandeis falls to 4-6. 

A kill from Augustine capped off an early 7-1 Emerson lead before Brandeis inched their way within one at 7-6 off an attack error committed by the Lions. Emerson and Brandeis kept the match close with no more than three points separating the teams before a 5-0 Lions run put them up by eight at 23-15. With Emerson now up by eight, Brandeis sparked some life and got within four at 23-19, but two Augustine kills closed out the 25-20 win for the Lions. 

Despite Emerson registering a higher kill percentage at .275 to Brandeis' .243, the Judges squeaked past the Lions in a 25-23 win in the second set. Brandeis managed to shake off two early ties by Emerson and were able to maintain their lead despite the Lions keeping themselves in reach. The Judges put themselves up by seven that consisted of two kills from junior Jessie Moore (Rye, N.Y.) to give them the 17-12 edge. Emerson continued to chip away at Brandeis' lead and got within one at 24-23 thanks to four consecutive Lions kills, but a service ace sealed the second set win for the Judges. 

After Brandeis evened the score 6-all on a kill from Moore, the Lions dominated the remainder of the third set and took the third set at 25-22. Brandeis came within three at 11-8 of Emerson, but the Lions distanced themselves and grabbed the eight point cushion at 19-8 on an 8-0 streak that included two Edwards' kills and one by freshman Lily Marella (Portland, Ore.). Several Lions mishaps and two kills from Moore got the Judges within one at 20-19 and kept up with the Lions through the closing portions of the third frame before a kill from Augustine locked down the 25-22 win. 

The Lions banged out a 9-0 lead to start off the fourth and final set before the Judges got on the board on a kill from senior Jessica Kaufman (Tucson, Ariz.). A 9-5 run by Emerson extended their lead to a match-high 14 at 18-4 before Brandeis clawed their back into the match to get the score back within single digits at 19-13. Despite the late surge by the Judges, the Lions only allowed them five more points before Emerson grabbed the 25-18 fourth set victory. 

The Lions had a trio of players notch double-digits in kills - junior Sam Harton (Cartersville, Ga.) with 19, sophomores Moira Brennan (Glenview, Ill.) had 22 digs and Fara Cohen (Morristown, N.J.) had 18. Brennan also registered 40 helpers. Both Augustine and Edwards recorded double-dights in kills - Augustine with 14 and Edwards with 13. Sophomore Kelley Guerra (Randolph, N.J.) registered five blocks. Harton and Cohen also had two aces. 

Moore led Brandeis with 10 kills, while sophomore Yvette Cho (San Diego, Calif.) registered a team-high 26 digs. Sophomore Leah Pearlman (El Paso, Texas) recorded four aces, 15 helpers and 10 digs and sophomore Grace Krumpack (Cincinnati, Ohio) racked up 12 digs and an ace. Freshman Emma Bartlett (Duxbury, Mass.) had five blocks. 

Both Emerson and Brandeis return to the court on Saturday afternoon. The Lions will head to Springfield for a 1:00 p.m. matchup, while the Judges will travel to Gorham, Me. for a tri-match versus Southern Maine and UMass.-Dartmouth at 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.