WALTHAM, Mass. - University of Rochester junior midfielder Kirsten Ross (Northumberland, Pa./Shikellamy) scored the game's only goal in the 15th minute and the Yellowjacket defense was able to make it hold up as the visitors defeated the host Brandeis University Judges, 1-0, in a University Athletic Association (UAA) women's soccer contest on Gordon Field tonight.
Rochester (8-1-2, 2-0-0 UAA, ranked No. 23 nationally) controlled play in the first half, outshooting the Judges by a 9-5 margin. After the visitors missed the mark on their first three shots of the half, they were able to take advantage of a defensive breakdown by Brandeis. Sophomore forward Ellen Coleman (Wauwatosa, Wisc./Wauwatosa) collected the ball and found Ross, who netted her second of the season from just inside the box. The visitors nearly doubled the lead in the 30th minute, when sophomore Danielle Crean (Victor, N.Y./Victor) hit the post.
Brandeis (6-4-2, 0-2-0) was able to get some pressure late in the first stanza, putting their last three shots on net, but UR senior Celeste Hornbach (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs) was up to the task. The Judges played UR even in the second, 6-6 in shots, but were unable to come up with an equalizer. Their best effort came in the 74th minute, when junior midfielder Sofia Vallone (Westport, Conn./Staples) put a free kick on net from about 25 yards out, but Hornbach was there for the save. Sophomore midfielder Mimi Theodore (Walpole, Mass./Walpole) had an 86th minute attempt cleared off the line by a Rochester defender to preserve the lead.
Hornbach made six saves for Rochester to earn the shutout, her fourth of the season, while senior Hillary Rosenzweig (Boca Raton, Fla./Spanish River) had six for the Judges in the losing effort.
Brandeis is next in action next Friday night at 7:30 p.m. in a UAA match at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.