WALTHAM, Mass. – The Brandeis University women's soccer team broke into the win column for the 2006 season tonight with a 3-1 victory over Simmons College on Gordon Field.

Brandeis (2-1) opened the scoring in the ninth minute when junior midfielder Amy King (Merrimack, N.H.) broke in behind the Shark defense to take a feed from rookie midfielder Melissa Gorenkoff (Woodbury, N.Y.) who had forced a turnover. King deposited her first goal of the season and the eighth of her career. There was no more scoring in the first half thanks in part to nine saves by Simmons junior goalie Katie Taglieri (Arlington, Mass.).

Simmons (1-5) rookie Rachel Elliot (Amherst, N.H.) took over in net in the second half and stopped a penalty kick by Brandeis senior forward Lisa Kaplin (Armonk, N.Y.), as well as Kaplin's ensuing rebound, in the 53rd minute. Not to be denied, Kaplin tallied what proved to be the game-winning goal in the 60th minute taking a nice through ball from junior midfielder Lizzie Bremner (San Rafael, Calif.). The goal was Kaplin's third in as many games this season and the 29th of her career, moving her into a tie for fifth place on the Judges' all-time list.

Junior midfielder Sarah Jasak (Middletown, N.J.) added her first goal of the season and the third of her career in the 64th minute when she slammed home a ball that had ricocheted off the Simmons crossbar.

The Sharks avoided the shutout in the 75th minute. Junior midfielder Diana Salvatore (So. Weymouth, Mass.) forced a Brandeis turnover and sent the ball to senior forward Nicole Zielinski (Foxboro, Mass.), who notched her first goal of the season.

Brandeis outshot Simmons, 29-3, for the contest and earned six corner kicks to none for the Sharks. Simmons netminders combined for 15 saves, while rookie Hilary Rosenzweig (Boca Raton, Fla.) had the only stop for the Judges.

Brandeis is next in action Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Clark University.