WALTHAM, Mass. – The Brandeis University men's soccer team played their first official intercollegiate contest in two years today as they met visiting Western New England University on Gordon Field. The Judges and Golden Bears played 110 minutes without finding the back of the net, finishing with a 0-0 draw, as both teams open their season at 0-0-1.
The visitors had the better of play in the first half, outshooting Brandeis, 10-3. Judge junior goalkeeper Aiden Guthro (Newburyport, Mass. / Newburyport) made four saves in the opening 45 minutes, three of which came in the final seven minutes of the stanza.
The Golden Bears nearly broke through early in the second half when Mike Milazzo hit the post in the 60th minute. Brandeis kept up the pressure and outshot WNE, 4-2, but Brady Allen denied Judge sophomore Liam Carpenter-Shulman (Amherst, Mass. / Amherst Regional) in the 87th minute to help force overtime.
In the extra 20 minutes, Brandeis controlled play with 7-2 shooting advantage, including 5-1 on net. Rookie Gabriel Haithcock (Macon, Ga./IMG Academy) led Brandeis with three shots on goal in the overtime periods, but it was Guthro's save in the 107th minute against WNE's Mike Riley that secured the draw.
For the game, Guthro finished with five saves and a shutout in his first career start. Allen finished with seven stops. Haithcock's six shots led all players. The teams were even in total shots, 14-14, as Brandeis outshot WNEU, 11-4, after the first half.
The Judges return to action on Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. when they take on Hobart College at the Keene State/Home Depot Classic in Keene, New Hampshire. They will also play the host team on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. WNEU plays host to Clark University Saturday at 1 p.m.
