WALTHAM, Mass. – An early second-half goal proved to be the difference tonight as the visiting University of Chicago men's soccer team hung on to defeat the host Brandeis University Judges, 1-0, in a University Athletic Association contest on Gordon Field. With the loss, the Judges fall to 7-3-4 overall, 1-1-1 in the UAA. Chicago, ranked #5 in Division III by the United Soccer Coaches and #9 by D3soccer.com, improves to 7-1-4, 3-0 UAA.
The first half was tightly played, with each side taking three shots apiece. Brandeis put one shot on goal, while Chicago had two. Brandeis senior Greg Irwin (Passaic, N.J./Seton Hall Prep) preserved the tie in the 44th minute by coming off his line to deny the Maroons' sophomore Kyle Ruark.
Brandeis rookie Will DeNight (Miami, Fla./MAST Academy) tested UC junior Aaron Katsimpalis early in the second half but was denied. The Maroons finally broke through in the 49th minute. After a quick restart on a foul, Chicago sophomore Vicente Mateus sent a through-ball onto the foot of classmate Sahil Modi. Modi was able to loft it over Irwin and the ball appeared to have been cleared off the line by a Brandeis defender, but the linesman indicated a goal, which was Modi's third of the season.
The defenses took over from there, with neither team able to generate much in the way of good chances. Irwin got a save on a Ruark attempt in the 62nd minute, and Brandeis rookie Adam Kulick (Cambridge, Mass./Milton Academy) sent one just to the right of the net off a free kick in the 64th, but that was as close as either team would get to testing the keepers the rest of the way.
Irwin finished with three saves in the losing effort for the Judges, while Katsimpalis made two stops for Chicago. UC owned a 7-6 edge in shots, and 2-1 margin in corner kicks.
Brandeis returns to UAA action on Sunday afternoon against Washington University at 1:30 p.m. Chicago is at NYU at the same time in a battle of conference co-leaders.