WALTHAM, Mass. – The Brandeis University women’s soccer team scored twice in the first half and held off a late Wellesley College charge as the Judges picked up a 2-1 non-conference victory on Gordon Field today.

Brandeis (4-1-1), the No. 8 team in New England this week, opened the scoring in the 29th minute. Amidst a scramble in front of the Wellesley net, junior forward Lisa Kaplin (Armonk, N.Y.), the University Athletic Association Offensive Player of the Week, went high in the air and rifled a shot into the upper left corner of the net. The goal was her fourth of the season, briefly tying her for the team lead.

The Judges doubled the lead less than seven minutes later. Sophomore midfielder Lizzie Bremner (San Rafael, Calif.) found senior forward Lauren Gregor (Holliston, Mass.), who rocketed a shot from just outside the box. The ball went just over the outstretched arms of Wellesley rookie keeper Samantha Littlejohn (Dayton, N.J.) and just under the crossbar. The goal was Gregor’s fifth of the campaign and the 34th of her career, tied for third-most in school history.

Wellesley (2-2-1) climbed back in the game with a goal with under 18 minutes left on the clock. On an indirect kick from about 35 yards out, junior midfielder Alison Carney (Healsdburg, Calif.) found rookie back Deirdre Garrahan (Fairfax Station, Va.), who one-timed the ball home for her second goal of the season.

The Blue nearly scored an equalizer in the final 10 minutes. Brandeis sophomore netminder Betsey Medow (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) misplayed a ball in front of the goal, but rookie back Margot Moinester (Memphis, Tenn.) rushed back and cleared the ball away just before it crossed the end line. Wellesley kept the pressure up, but the Brandeis defense didn’t buckle.

Medow finished the game with one save, while Brandeis’s only shots on goal went in the net.

The Judges are next in action at Bowdoin College, the No. 5 team in the region, on Sunday, Sept. 25. Wellesley’s next contest is the NEWMAC opener on Sept. 24 at WPI.