WALTHAM, Mass. - Wellesley College rookie Megan Turchi (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif./Tesero) blasted home a shot from 30 yards out just 15 seconds into overtime tonight to give the visiting Blue a stunning 2-1 win over the host Brandeis University Judges under the lights of Gordon Field.
Brandeis (5-2-2) dominated the first half, outshooting Wellesley by a 12-2 margin. Unfortunately, the only scoring the Judges could muster came in the early portion of the game. Just 2:23 into the contest, sophomore midfielder Mimi Theodore (Walpole, Mass./Walpole) slotted a ball to junior forward Tiffany Pacheco (Rehoboth, Mass./Dighton-Rehoboth Regional). Freed one-on-one with the goalie, Pacheco netted her team-leading fifth goal of the season.
Wellesley (2-4-2) dodged a bullet in the 37th minute. Blue senior goalkeeper Katie Martore (Great Falls, Va./Potomac School) punched at a high shot from Brandeis senior forward Melissa Gorekoff (Woodbury, N.Y./Syosset), deflecting it off the crossbar and out. Pacheco's follow-up went just wide, and the visitors used the momentum to finally get their first two shots of the half in the 39th minute.
In the second half, the teams were much more evenly matched, as the shots after intermission were tied, 10-10. Wellesley finally broke through in the 59th minute on the third of three straight corner kicks. Brandeis deflected the first corner wide before reaching the net, while Judge senior netminder Hillary Rosenzweig (Boca Raton, Fla./Spanish River) made a fine diving save on the second. The third time was the charm for the Blue, as rookie midfielder Chelsea-Ann Patry (Warrenton, Va./Highland School) found the head of sophomore back Erin Simons (Wilbraham, Mass./Wilbraham & Monson), who converted her first goal of the campaign.
There were only two more shots on net the rest of the way, with Wellesley back-up Sarah Gray (Montclair, Va./Forest Park) stoning Theodore in the 60th minute and Rosenzweig smothering a Patry attempt in the 83rd minute. Brandeis had a couple of corner kicks in the late-going, but were unable to take advantage.
In the overtime session, the Blue started with the ball and sent it deep into the Brandeis zone. The Judges cleared, but the ball went to Turchi, who lofted a ball from about 30 yards out. Rosenzweig leapt, but the ball found the space between the crossbar and her fingertips, giving the Blue the victory.
Martore finished with six saves for Wellesley, but Gray earned the win with three stops in relief. Rosenzweig finished with four stops in the losing effort.
Brandeis is next in action on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. when they travel to Cleveland to take on Case Western Reserve University in their University Athletic Association opener.