WALTHAM, Mass. – In a battle of two teams regionally ranked in the first National Soccer Coaches' Association of America New England Division III Poll, the Brandeis women's soccer team dealt Wentworth Institute of Technology its first loss as the Judges rallied from a halftime deficit to take a 2-1 win at Gordon Field.
With the win, Brandeis, ranked third in the region and 13th nationally, remains undefeated at 7-0 while the Leopards, ranked ninth in the region, fall to 4-1.
Both teams struggled to get offensive chances in the early going, which was evidenced by just one combined shot in the first 13 minutes. Wentworth made the most of its first shot of the game as the Leopards took a 1-0 lead on a goal from senior Mary Pastorelli (Whitesboro, N.Y.) at 13:06. Junior Emily Richard (Fremont, N.H.) served a corner kick towards the box where Pastorelli would come up with possession and drill a shot past Alexis Grossman (Syosset, N.Y.). The goal was the first the Judges had allowed all season.
Pastorelli's first marker of the season was the lone goal of the first half and Wentworth had a 6-4 shot advantage through 45 minutes of action.
Brandeis evened the score early in the second half. Senior Lea McDaniel (Phoenix, Ariz.) sent a through ball to junior Samantha Schwartz (Highland Park, Ill.), who took a touch around a defender and chipped the ball over sophomore keeper Micaela Robinson (Goshen, N.Y.) at 47:09. Just over six minutes later the Judges netted the game winner when sophomore Hannah Maatallah (Wilton, Conn.) played a long through ball from midfield for senior Cidney Moscovitch (Coral Springs, Fla.) who sent a low shot to the far post.
Grossman made three saves to pick up the win for Brandeis while Robinson also made three saves to pick up the loss. The Judges had an 11-8 shot advantage on the game while the Leopards had the edge on corner kicks, 4-3.
Wentworth is at Roger Williams on Saturday afternoon.
