Bryant Nardizzi '20 (photo by Norman Cohen P'20)
Posted: Oct 22, 2018
WALTHAM, Mass. – In the first regular-season meeting between the two programs since 1999, the visiting Amherst College Mammoths defeated the host Brandeis University Judges, 2-1, in a non-conference contest on Gordon Field tonight. With the loss, Brandeis falls to 7-6-2 on the season, while Amherst improves to 10-3-1.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Amherst wasted little time getting on the board, finding the back of the net just 60 seconds into the contest. After a long ball into the offensive zone from midfield, Luke Nguyen won the ball and headed it to Fikayo Ajayi. Ajayi sent a shot along the ground into the far left netting to break the ice. It was Ajayi's second of the season.
- The Mammoths doubled the score in the 12th minute. The ball was headed around the box, with Alex Shahmirazdi connecting with an open Sean Fitzgerald, who headed the ball inside the near post for his third goal of the season.
- Brandeis got one back in the 80th minute, when sophomore Noah Gans (Newton, Mass./Newton North) dribbled from the right sideline into the center of the field. He dropped the ball of for junior Bryant Nardizzi (Framingham, Mass./Framingham). Nardizzi took a couple of dribbles and ripped a strike from 20 yards out into the upper-left of the net for his team-leading sixth goal of the season.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Amherst outshot Brandeis, 16-10, for the game, including 9-5 in shots on goal.
- Brandeis junior Greg Irwin (Passaic, N.J./Seton Hall Prep) made five saves for the Judges, with Brandeis defenders twice clearing the ball off the line.
- Amherst's Bernie White made four stops to earn the win.
- Brandeis earned five corners to Amherst's two.
- This was the first regular-season meeting between the two teams since 1999.
- The sides did meet in the 2014 and 2016 NCAA tournament, with both games ending in a tie and the Judges advancing on penalty kicks.
UP NEXT
- Brandeis closes out their schedule with three straight UAA road games, starting Friday evening at Washington University with a 5:30 p.m. Central kickoff time (6:30 Eastern).
- Amherst closes their regular season on Wednesday afternoon against Trinity (Conn.) in their NESCAC finale at 3:30 p.m.