WALTHAM, Mass. – The Brandeis University women's soccer team had four members recognized by the University Athletic Association (UAA) on the All-UAA teams this afternoon. Junior forward Sasha Sunday of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was a first-team selection, while senior forward Samantha Schwartz of Highland Park, Illinois, and junior midfielder Hannah Maatallah of Wilton, Connecticut, were second team choices. Sophomore goalkeeper Sierra Dana of Lombard, Illinois, was an honorable mention pick.
Sunday was the Judges' leading scorer this season, with eight goals and nine assists for 25 points. Her nine assists are tied for second in the UAA, while her 25 points are fourth overall. Sunday scored points in 12 of Brandeis's 18 games this season, including seven-point performance against Westfield State on Oct. 18th. Sunday delivered three of her nine assists in UAA games, including two in a 3-0 win at Case Western Reserve on Oct. 1 and another on the game-winning goal in a 1-0 win at Rochester on Oct. 13.
Schwartz was Brandeis's second-leading scorer this season, tallying eight goals and two assists for 18 points. Schwartz scored one UAA goal this season in the team's 3-0 win at Case Western Reserve. She also had a two-goal game in a non-conference game against Elms College on Oct. 22, scoring twice in the final 12 minutes to help salvage a draw. Schwartz enters the postseason with 29 goals and 79 points, as she looks to become the program's sixth 30-goal scorer and 10th 70-point scorer. She was previously named an All-UAA selection as a rookie.
Maatallah notched two goals and three assists for seven points in 19 games this season. She was the Judges' top two-way threat in the midfield on offense and defense. Maatallah notched a goal and an assist in non-conference games against Lasell and Eastern Connecticut State, then added a crucial assist on a game-tying goal in a 1-1 draw against NYU in the regular-season finale for both teams.
Dana finished second in the UAA in saves during the regular season with 50 despite missing the five contests due to injury. She was fifth with an .833 save percentage. Dana played the first three-and-a-half conference games before suffering a season-ending injury, posting an 0.27 goals-against average and .958 save percentage, both second in the league. Dana made a career-high 14 saves in a 1-1 draw with Carnegie Mellon on Oct. 7, one shy of a school record.
The Brandeis women's soccer team finished the regular season with an 11-4-3 record, earning an NCAA Division III tournament berth for the fourth-straight season, a program record. The Judges will meet Stevens Institute of Technology in the first round at Williams College this Saturday at 1:30 p.m.