WALTHAM, Mass. – University of Rochester senior forward Ellen Coleman (Wauwatosa, Wisc./Wauwatosa West) tallied a goal and an assist in the second half today as the Yellowjackets knocked off host Brandeis, 2-0, in the 2011 University Athletic Association season opener for both teams. With the loss, the Judges fall to 4-6 on the season, 0-1 in the UAA, while UR improves to 6-2, 1-0 UAA.
After a sedate first half in which Rochester outshot Brandeis, 4-3, and each team put one shot on goal, the contest opened up in the second stanza. Coleman had her first good chance 1:55 after the intermission, when her shot was cleared off the line by Brandeis senior back Jessica Schulman (Redwood City, Calif./Woodside). The 'Jackets had two more shots, one saved by Brandeis junior Francine Kofinas (Dix Hills, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills West) before the game-winner in the 54th minute. Junior forward Rachel Wesley (Millwood, N.Y./Horace Greeley) sent a nice cross through the box and Coleman shot it back across the goal mouth and into the right corner for her team-leading fifth goal of the season.
Brandeis's pressure increased after the goal, as the Judges took five of the game's next six shots. Their best chance for an equalizer came in the 66th minute, when senior Alanna Torre (Weston, Fla./American Heritage School) headed a corner kick wide of the net. The Judges kept the ball in play, and rookie forward Alec Spivack (Miami, Fla/Miami Palmetto Senior) followed with a shot that was stopped by UR junior netminder Bridget Lang (Chesterfield, N.J./Peddie School).
Ten minutes later, the visitors got an insurance goal. Coleman played a ball into the far right corner of the field. Senior Elizabeth Martens (Hughesville, Pa./Blair Acad.) ran it down and shot at a tough angle, slipping the ball just under the crossbar and out of the reach of Brandeis rookie Michelle Savuto (Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood). It was Martens' fourth goal of the season.
Brandeis again intensified its pressure, earning a couple of additional corner kicks, and nearly found the back of the net in the 86th minute. Following a delay because of an injury to a Brandeis player, shortly after the restart, sophomore forward Hilary Andrews (New Bedford, Mass./Dartmouth) hit the crossbar, and Torre pushed the ensuing rebound wide, giving the Yellowjackets a chance to run out the clock.
Brandeis finished the game outshooting UR, 13-11, thanks to a 10-7 advantage in the second half. The Judges also had six corner kicks to five. Lang made three saves to post her second shutout of the season. Kofinas finished with two saves and Savuto had one.
Brandeis returns to action with a non-conference tilt on Thursday afternoon at Babson College at 4 p.m., while Rochester hosts Nazareth in a nonleague game at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.