William Smith volleyball opened the 2026 New England Classic with a 3-0 victory over Brandeis on Friday night. The Herons improved to 6-1 on the season, while the Judges dropped to 4-5.
William Smith controlled the match statistically, recording 39 kills while hitting .344 as a team. Brandeis finished with 31 kills and a .147 hitting percentage. The Herons also held advantages in service aces, 12-8, blocks, 9-2, and assists, 35-26.
Junior Emily Fulton led the attack with 12 kills while hitting .423. She also recorded 11 digs, three blocks and two service aces for her third consecutive double-double. First-year Cassidy Breuer matched Fulton with 12 kills and added four digs, one block and one ace.
Jayden Hanson delivered an all-around performance, posting eight kills without an error while hitting .471. Hanson also contributed eight assists, five digs, five blocks and two service aces.
William Smith set the tone early by taking the opening set 25-21 after recording 14 kills. The Herons created more separation in the second set, producing 16 kills with only two hitting errors on the way to a 25-19 victory.
The Herons then finished the sweep with a dominant third set, jumping ahead 11-2 before closing out a 25-16 win.
Delainy Williams paced William Smith with 19 assists and added 10 digs and two aces. Kali Vanderhoof led the team with 14 digs, while Arielle Newsome recorded four kills, three aces and four blocks.
William Smith returns to action Saturday for two matches. The Herons face Smith at 12:30 p.m. before meeting No. 22 Babson at 3 p.m.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to kyle@fingerlakes1.com.