Mackenzie Smith '21 (photo by Sportspix)
Posted: Sep 01, 2018
WALTHAM, Mass. – Brandeis University women's soccer sophomore back Mackenzie Smith (Northborough, Mass./Algonquin Regional) scored a golden goal in the 104th minute today to give the Judges a 3-2 win over visiting MIT in a showdown between top-25 squads. The 25th-ranked Judges improve to 1-0 on the season, while the #14 Engineers fall to 0-1-1.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Brandeis jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first half.
- In the 12th minute, senior Sasha Sunday (Bethlehem, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic) scored the team's first goal of the season on a cross from rookie forward Makenna Hunt (Tyngsborough, Mass./Tyngsborough).
- The Judges doubled the lead in the 34th minute when junior Katie Hayes (Eau Claire, Wisc./Regis H.S.) buried a penalty kick for the fourth goal of her career.
- MIT got one back shortly before halftime when junior Sophia Struckman (Scottsdale, Ariz. / Chaparral) shot high from 25 yards out on the right side into the left netting.
- The visitors knotted the score in the 58th minute, when junior Chessa Hoekstra (Portland, Maine / Portland) found classmate Montana Reilly (Los Angeles, Calif. / Harvard-Westlake), who sent one high from 20 yards out just under the crossbar.
- After an uneventful first OT period, the winning goal came from Smith on the first shot of the second extra session. Sunday sent a corner kick to the far post, and Smith was there to punch it home for her third career goal – all of which have been game-winners.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Shots were nearly even, with Brandeis owning a 14-13 edge in total shots and 8-7 in shots on goal, with the game-winner breaking the tie.
- Brandeis junior Sierra Dana (Lombard, Ill./Glenbard East) made seven saves, the second-highest total of her career, in her first start since getting injured last season.
- MIT's Lily Mueller (Lakeville, Minn. / Lakeville South) had six saves in the losing effort.
- Brandeis avenged a 3-2 defeat to MIT in last season's opener for the Judges.
UP NEXT
- Brandeis is back in action tomorrow at 1 p.m. when they take on local rivals Lasell College. MIT heads to Worcester State University Tuesday at 7 p.m.