MEDFORD, Mass. – The Brandeis University men's soccer team dropped a clash between nationally-ranked squads tonight as the 25th-ranked Judges suffered a 2-0 defeat at #1 Tufts on Bello Field. The Judges fall to 3-2-1 on the season, while the Jumbos, the defending NCAA Division III champions, improve to 4-0.
Brandeis suffered a pair of big blows in the 24th minute. First, after a scrum in front of the net, the Judges put the ball into their own net for an own goal and a 1-0 deficit. After the goal scored, the teams started to scuffle a bit, and senior forward Max Breiter (Lincoln, Mass./Lawrence Academy) was shown a red card, meaning Brandeis would have to play a man down for the final 66 minutes.
Tufts added a second goal in the run of play, with Brett Rojas knocking home a cross by Gavin Tasker that was one-touched by Max Jacobs. The Judges were unable to get any offense going while playing with just 10 men, with their only shot on goal coming in the 83rd minute off the foot of senior back Dylan Hennessy (New York, N.Y./Northfield Mount Hermon). Tufts outshot Brandeis, 22-4. Senior goalkeeper Greg Irwin (Passaic, N.J./Seton Hall Prep) made five saves in the losing effort, while Will Harned had one stop for the clean sheet for the Jumbos.
Brandeis is off for a week until they travel to Western New England University on Sept. 21 in Springfield at 2 p.m.