WALTHAM, Mass. - Brandeis University junior forward Melissa Gorenkoff (Woodbury, N.Y.) scored two goals, one in each half, to lead the second-seeded Judges to a 3-0 victory in the semifinals of the ECAC Division III New England women's soccer tournament over No. 6 seed Emmanuel College.
Brandeis (12-7-2), which outshot their opponents by a wide margin for the second game in a row, 28-8, got the only goal they would need in the 18th minute. Gorenkoff received a pass from rookie midfielder Kaitlin Oldfield (Raymond, N.H.) just outside the box and blasted it home for her sixth goal of the season.
In the 53rd minute, rookie Alanna Torre (Weston, Fla.) made a nice end-line move and sent a cross to Gorenkoff, who converted for her seventh of the season and her third career multi-goal game. In two ECAC tournament games, Gorenkoff has three goals and an assist.
The Judges added to their cushion in the 83rd minute when Oldfield headed home a cross by rookie Izabella Miranda (Plymouth, Mass.). Oldfield now has two goals and two assists in the tournament.
Emmanuel (14-9) was kept in the contest by senior goalkeeper Laureyn Furtney (Barrington, N.H.), who made 11 saves in the losing effort. Brandeis junior Hillary Rosenzweig (Boca Raton, Fla.) made three stops to record her ninth shutout of the campaign, tied with three others for Brandeis's single-season record. It was the 16th shutout of Rosenzweig's career and her fifth-straight in the postseason.
Brandeis will get a chance to defend their 2007 ECAC crown at home tomorrow at 1 p.m., as fourth-seeded University of New England upset No. 1 Keene State, 2-1, in overtime. Last season, Brandeis defeated Keene State, 2-0, in the title match.