Mimi Theodore's two assists lead #23 Judges past Clark, 2-1

Mimi Theodore's two assists lead #23 Judges past Clark, 2-1

WORCESTER, Mass. (info taken from a Clark University press release) -- Brandeis junior midfielder Mimi Theodore (Walpole, Mass./Walpole) assisted on both of the Judges' goals tonight, including on rookie midfielder Mary Shimko's (Bay Village, Ohio/Lake Ridge Acad.) game-winning header in the 87th minute to lift the 23rd-ranked Judges to a dramatic 2-1 win over host Clark in non-league women's soccer action on Tuesday evening at Granger Soccer Field.

The win improves Brandeis' record to 9-2-1 overall, while the Cougars slip to 5-8 and have now dropped four of their last five games.

Clark actually got off to a flying start when rookie Lucia Pantuosco (Somers, Conn.) netted her first career goal in the seventh minute to give the Cougars an early lead.

That lead lasted for a little more than 20 minutes until Theodore set up senior forward Sofia Vallone (Westport, Conn./Staples) for the equalizer at 26:58. The goal was Vallone's team- and UAA-leading 12th of the season. She is just the 10th player in Judges history with at least 12 goals in a single season.

After a low-octane first half in which Clark outshot Brandeis, 4-3, the Judges owned an 8-6 edge in the second. The Cougars' Joanna Clark (Windham, Maine) kept the visitors at bay, making six saves in the stanza before Shimko's game-winner. For Theodore, her sixth and seventh assists of the season give her the team lead.

Shots were pretty even between the teams with Clark holding an 11-10 edge but the Cougars held a huge edge in corner kicks (8-1).

Clark turned back seven shots in net for the Scarlet and White, while rookie Francine Kofinas (Dix Hills, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills West) made only one save in collecting the victory, coming just 43 seconds after the game-winning goal.

Clark will return to the field on Saturday when they host WPI beginning at 11, while the Judges get back in action on Friday when they play host to Carnegie-Mellon.