WALTHAM, Mass. — The Brandeis University women's soccer team extended its winning streak to 11 in a row and its shutout streak to eight-straight games today with a 1-0 victory over visiting Eastern Nazarene College this evening. With the win the Judges, ranked 20th in Division III by the NSCAA and 22nd by D3soccer.com, improve to 11-1. The Lions fall to 5-8.
Brandeis got all the scoring they would need in the 18th minute. Senior forward Sapir Edalati (Great Neck, N.Y./Great Neck South) carried the ball through the midfield before sending it to the left of the 18-yard box for rookie Samantha Schwartz (Highland Park, Ill./Highland Park). Schwartz collected it, dribbled to create space, and drilled a shot from left corner of the box into the upper-right netting. The goal was her seventh of the season, second most on the team. The assist for Edalati gave her a point in 10 of the Judges' 12 contests this season.
The Judges were able to maintain control the rest of the way, outshooting ENC, 14-7, including 6-2 in shots on goal. Lion junior goalkeeper Kristen Farley (Westminster, Mass./Oakmont Regional) made six saves to keep the visitors in the contest, including three more against Schwartz. Brandeis goalies Michelle Savuto (Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood) and Alexis Grossman (Syosset, N.Y./Syosset) each made one save in 45 minutes of play. Savuto collected a long shot headed for the far post from Eastern Nazarene's Jules Speno (Hopewell Jct., N.Y./John Jay) in the 15th minute, while Grossman collected Alexis Schmidt's shot from 20 yards out that stayed along the ground in the 85th minute.
With their eighth shutout in a row, Brandeis matches the squads that ended 2007 with four straight clean sheets and started 2008 with four more. The 11-match winning streak extends their school record. The Judges' longest unbeaten streak was 16 in a row, when they ended 2003 going 5-0-3, and then proceeded to win their first eight of 2004. The Judges have now outscored opponents 26-3 this season.
Brandeis will attempt to continue their winning ways on Saturday at 4 p.m. when they travel to the University of Rochester for a University Athletic Association match. Eastern Nazarene faces Curry College in a Commonwealth Coast Conference showdown at the same time.