WALTHAM, Mass. — Brandeis University sophomore Zach Vieira (Andover, Mass./Brooks School) scored the game-winning goal with 3:45 left in the second overtime period tonight as the Judges defeated visiting Carnegie Mellon University, 1-0, in a University Athletic Association (UAA) men's soccer contest on Gordon Field.
With the win, the Judges, ranked seventh in Division III, improve to 13-1 on the season, 2-1 in the UAA. Carnegie Mellon, which went to overtime for the third time in as many conference contests, falls to 7-4-1, 1-1-1 UAA.
Vieira notched his sixth goal and third game-winner of the season in the 107th minute. After the ball was knocked around from the right sideline, it found the head of rookie Patrick Flahive (Glenwood, Ill./Worcester Acad.). Flahive flicked to the left side of the box and Vieira's feet. Vieira shook free of a defender and beat CMU senior keeper Jacob Rice (Gahanna, Ohio/Gahanna Lincoln) to the lower-right corner of the net.
Carnegie Mellon nearly recorded an upset in the first overtime period. In the 98th minute, Brandeis senior Joe Graffy (Concord, N.H./Concord) made two terrific saves, diving to stone the Tartans' Connor Webb (Dallas, Texas/J.J. Pearce) and then, with the help of his defense, recovering to deny a bid from Ryan Stinebaugh (Houston, Texas/Strake Jesuit College Prep) into an open net off the rebound.
During regulation, some of Brandeis's best attempts came off the foot of sophomore Josh Ocel (No. Attleboro, Mass./Worcester Acad.). Ocel took a free kick that went just high in the 28th minute, then rattled a shot off the crossbar in the 55th minute.
CMU's best chances were a bouncing ball off the foot of senior Jacob Rohwer (Southborough, Mass./Phillips Andover) caught by Graffy in the 59th minute and a late free kick from Colin Shaffer (Huntington Beach, Calif./St. Margaret's Episcopal) in the final minute of regulation.
In a tightly-matched and physical contest, shots were even at 9-all, while fouls were 20 per side. Brandeis held the 5-2 edge on corner kicks. Graffy improved to 13-1 with four saves. Rice fell to 5-3-1 with five stops.
Brandeis returns to UAA action on Sunday morning at 11 a.m. with a top-10 showdown against ninth-ranked Emory on Homecoming. Carnegie Mellon is at NYU at the same time.
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