Waltham, Mass.--With a great deal of support from their back field, the Brandeis women's soccer team shut out Bowdoin College this evening on Gordon Field. The Judges defeated the Polar Bears 1-0. Brandeis improves to 11-3-1, while Bowdoin falls to 5-5-2.
Brandeis came out of the gate strong, with senior forward Tiffany Pacheco (Rehoboth, Mass./Dighton-Rehoboth Reg.) taking her first shot early in the second minute, only to have it stopped by the Bowdoin keeper Kat Flaherty (Fairfield, Conn./Lauralton Hall). The Polar Bears answered back four minutes later with a shot by junior forward Celeste Swian (Berkeley, Calif/Berkeley). The shot was saved by sophomore keeper Francine Kofinas (Dix Hills, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills West), her first of six for the game.
In the first period, both teams played fairly evenly, with the Polar Bears out-shooting the Judges 8-7. The Judges had the edge in corner kicks, which ultimately gave them the win.
The Judges scored the game winner in the 31st minute when rookie defender Kelly Peterson (Houston, T.X./Clear Lake) made a header off a corner kick by her fellow defender, senior Taryn Martiniello (Wilmington, Mass./Wilmington). This was Peterson's first goal of the season and Martiniello's second assist.
Brandeis took the lead in the second half, out-shooting the Polar Bears 8-4, with just three shots on goal.
Bowdoin's keeper had several nice stops late in the second half. Pacheco attempted a good shot from the top of the box but was denied when Flaherty dove out for the save. Less than a minute later, Flaherty stopped another shot on goal by Pacheco. Flaherty made six saves as well this evening.
Kofinas earned her third career shutout tonight. With six stops, she moves to second place in the University Athletic Association with 63 save for the season.
The Polar Bears' next game is against conference foe Trinity College on October 23, at Bowdoin. The Judges next match is October 26, when the take on Lesley College at Brandeis.