WALTHAM, Mass. — Brandeis University sophomore midfielder Josh Ocel (No. Attleboro, Mass./Worcester Acad.) scored one goal and assisted two others for a career-best four points tonight as the Judges defeated Clark University, 4-0, on a rain-soaked Gordon Field. Brandeis, ranked No. 9 in Division III by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, improved to 5-0 on the season. Clark falls to 3-3.
The Judges wasted little time getting on the board. In the 11th minute, Ocel threaded a ball to senior forward Michael Soboff (Framingham, Mass./Newton North), who one-touched it home. The goal was Soboff's fourth of the season, temporarily giving him the team lead.
Just over six minutes later, in the 17th minute, senior forward Tyler Savonen (Orleans, Mass./Nauset Regional) joined him atop the leaderboard. Savonen's fourth strike of the season came from just inside the 18-yard box on a feed from sophomore Mike Lynch (Weymouth, Mass./Weymouth). It was the 30th goal of Savonen's career, making the 10th player in Brandeis history to reach the milestone. It was also his 75th career point, making him one of 13 to reach that plateau for the Judges.
The Cougars kept Brandeis off the board for the rest of the half, but the home team scored twice more in the second. Ocel notched his third of the campaign in the 64th minute, when he got on the end of a long service from sophomore Evan Jastremski (Marshfield, Mass./Marshfield). Ocel's strike from the right of the box went off the keeper's hands and into the left netting. Ocel capped the four-point night with a corner onto the head of sophomore Zach Vieira (Andover, Mass./Brooks School), who scored a goal for the third game in a row. Ocel's assist was his team-leading fifth of the season, tied for most in the University Athletic Association.
For the game, Brandeis outshot Clark, 27-6, including 16-1 in shots on goal. The Cougars' Connor Maguire (Dunstable, Mass./Groton-Dunstable) made a career-high 12 saves in the losing effort, while Judge senior Joe Graffy (Concrd, N.H./Concord) had one stop in 74 minutes and Brandeis rookie Ben Woodhouse (Suffield, Conn./Suffield) was untested in 16 minutes his collegiate debut.
The ninth-ranked Judges return to action on Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. at WPI. Clark is at Gordon College at the same time.