SAN ANTONIO, Texas - In a battle of NSCAA Division III top 10 teams last night, the seventh-ranked Brandeis men's soccer team (2-1) could not overcome a couple of very quick strikes by the host No. 6 Trinity University Tigers (3-0) in San Antonio.
Trinity defender Kellen Reid was involved in both goals for the Tigers. In the second minute of play, he played a long ball from the back that allowed Ryan Hunter to slip through the defense to deposit the ball into the back of the net. Just 2:22 later, Reid got a head on a Murray Fraser's corner kick after Zac Treu got it in front from the far post.
TU held on and outshot Brandeis, 11-4 in the first half and 19-8 for the game. The Judges were able to control the ball more effectively in the second half, but their best chance came in the 79th minute. Junior Josh Ocel (No. Attleboro, Mass./Worcester Acad.) sent a corner into the box that was deflected to senior Robbie Lynch (Weymouth, Mass./Weymouth), but Lynch's header sailed just over the net.
Both keepers, Brandeis sophomore Ben Woodhouse (Suffield, Conn.) and Trinity's Chad Margotta had two saves on the night. It was Margotta's third shutout of the season.
The loss was just the second non-conference defeat in the regular season for the Judges since 2012. They are now 38-2 against non-UAA opponents in the regular season, 44-5-1 overall including the NCAA tournament in the last four seasons. It also left head coach Mike Coven stuck at career win No. 497 as he attempts to become the 11th NCAA soccer coach to win 500 for his career.
The Judges return home for a Tuesday afternoon match against Nichols College at 4 p.m.