WALTHAM, Mass. – Despite a goal and an assist from junior reserve forward Alexander Farr (Nahant, Mass./St. Johns Prep), the Brandeis University men's soccer team dropped its third-straight one-goal decision today, falling to Case Western Reserve University, 3-2, in the University Athletic Association (UAA) opener for both squads. The Judges drop to 6-3 on the season, 0-1 in the UAA, while the Spartans improve to 5-2-3, 1-0 UAA.
Case opened the scoring in the 18th minute when senior midfielder Jordan Fox (Bexley, Ohio/Bexley) tallied the first of his two goals on the day. Sophomore forward Eric Erb (Mason, Ohio/Mason) sent a sharp cross through the goal box and Fox was there to head it home for his second of the season.
Brandeis answered in the 38th minute on another fine play in front of the net. Sophomore forward Lee Russo (Westford, Mass./Westford Acad.) crossed a ball from the far sideline through the box. Junior midfielder Theo Terris (Concord, Mass./Concord-Carlisle) one-touched it past the goalkeeper, and Farr was there to redirect it home. It was Farr's fifth goal of the season, temporarily tying him for the team lead.
The Spartans answered just over three minutes before the first-half intermission. Sophomore midfielder Kostis Theoharides (Brookline, Mass./Brookline) fired a long throw-in into the box, and Erb was on the spot to head it home. Erb's first of the season gave the visitors a 2-1 lead at the break.
The Judges had a couple of nice attempts early in the second half, but a header by Terris on a corner kick was cleared off the post by Fox, and Case junior Ben Yabrow (Marietta, Ga./George Walton Comprehensive) made a nice stop on Terris to keep the one-goal edge. The Spartans were able to extend their lead in the 53rd minute with what proved to be the game-winner. Sophomore back Sam Kuehnle (Toledo, Ohio/Ottawa Hills) drove a free kick from nearly 40 yards out to Fox, whose angled shot found its way inside the post to beat Brandeis senior Taylor Bracken (No. Andover, Mass./St. Johns Prep).
Brandeis kept up its pressure and cut their deficit back to one in the 62nd minute. Farr got in deep, drawing defenders, before feeding the ball back to junior Luke Teece (Tucson, Ariz./University). Teece drove the ball in from 20 yards out to reclaim the team goal-scoring lead with his sixth of the season. The Judges had three shots and four corner kicks in the final 25 minutes of play, compared to two shots and two corners for the visitors, but Yabrow made a couple of late saves to keep the lead. Brandeis outshot Case, 18-14 for the game and 10-4 in the second half, but it wasn't enough. Yabrow and Bracken each finished with four saves for the contest.
Brandeis returns to action next Wednesday afternoon at 4 p.m. when they travel to Wheaton (Mass.) College for a non-league tilt, while Case hosts Penn State-Behrend at 5 p.m. the same day.