Lewiston, Maine - Playing in Alumni Gym for the first time since Sept. 6, Bates College took the floor against Brandeis University Friday evening, falling to the visiting Judges in straight-sets (25-23, 25-17, 25-15) in non-conference volleyball action.

Brandeis, in a neutral site contest vs. Colby College earlier in the evening, dropped a 3-1 decision to the Mules (19-25, 25-22, 22-25, 25-27). 

Things seemed to be going Bates' way in the first set as the Bobcats opened the match with a 19-10 lead. Brandeis flipped a switch and responded by tallying 11 unanswered points as the Judges jumped ahead by a score of 21-19 en route to the early 1-0 cushion.

The Bobcats (4-4) again attacked first in the second, pouncing with a 3-0 spurt to start the stanza. Brandeis (6-5) immediately answered by accounting for the next five points. A subsequent 6-0 run made the score 20-14 Judges, essentially sealing the second-set triumph for the visitors.

Brandeis owned a 16-3 advantage in the third set before the Bobcats proceeded to outscore its guest, 11-6, to slice the deficit to 22-14, but to no avail.

Alyssa Lowther (So.-Wyckoff, N.J.) tied for the match-high with nine kills on the night while Julia Neumann (So.-Norwell, Mass.) and Emma Eide (Jr.-Ramsey, N.J.) followed with six and five kills, respectively. Eide also added 20 assists and six digs in the effort. Ellie Asada (Fr.-Honolulu, Hawaii) patrolled the back line for a team-best 13 digs.

The garnet and white returns to action Saturday at 2:00 p.m. with a NESCAC clash at home vs. Colby College.