OBERLIN, Ohio – The Brandeis University men's soccer team got a goal in the final 10 minutes of regulation, but were unable to find a golden goal in overtime as the Judges and Case Western Reserve University Spartans battled to a 1-1 draw in a University Athletic Association (UAA) contest played on the campus of Oberlin College today. With the draw, Brandeis is now 6-2-4 on the season, 1-0-1 in the UAA. CWRU is now 5-4-3, 0-1-1 UAA. With the draw, the Judges tie the 2016 Final Four squad for most ties in a season.
The first half was a quiet one for both offenses, with shots just 3-1 in favor of the home team with under two minutes to play before intermission. Case Western Reserve broke the deadlock at the 43:12 mark when Conner Weber bent a corner kick directly into the far netting for his first goal of the season.
Brandeis and CWRU both turned up the pressure in the second half, with both teams generating eight shots. The Spartans were able to put five of their eight on net, but it was the Judges who found the equalizer in the 81st minute. Brandeis drew a free kick on the right sideline about 35 yards out. Senior back Dylan Hennessy (New York, N.Y./Northfield Mount Hermon) sent the free kick to the far side of the box, where junior Noah Gans (Newton, Mass./Newton South) was waiting. Gans one-touched it back to the top of the 18-yard box, and senior Colin Panarra (Belmar, N.J. / Marine Acad. of Technology and Environmental Science) blasted it home for his first of the season and of his Brandeis career. Panarra had missed six of the previous seven games due to injury.
After getting the equalizer, the Judges controlled the overtime periods, outshooting the Spartans, 6-1. Brandeis had two tremendous chances in the second OT session, with Panarra getting a shot cleared off the line on a corner kick in the 105th minute, and rookie Will DeNight (Miami, Fla./MAST Academy) getting stoned on a shot with under a minute to play.
Brandeis senior Greg Irwin (Passaic, N.J./Seton Hall Prep) tied his career-high with eight saves on the afternoon, five coming in the second half. CWRU's Jackson Callen had five stops and the Spartans' defense had a key clearance.
Brandeis steps out of conference for a match at Mass. Maritime Academy on Tuesday evening at 7 p.m.