TRENTON, N.J. – The Brandeis University women's soccer team got three second-half goals, including two from sophomore Hannah Maatallah (Wilton, Conn./Wilton) in a three-minute span, to defeat Virginia Wesleyan College, 3-0, today in the first round of the NCAA Division III Tournament. The match was played at The College of New Jersey. With the win, the 23^rd-ranked Judges improve to 14-3-3 and move on to meet 5^th-ranked TCNJ tomorrow at 1 p.m. The unranked Marlins see their season come to a close at 12-6-3.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The teams spent the first 40 minutes feeling each other out, taking just four shots combined - two each. Brandeis got two more shots off in the final five minutes of the first half to hold a 4-2 edge at the break. Each team had one shot on goal in the opening stanza.
• The Judges finally broke through in the 56^th minute. After a turnover by VWC in the defensive zone, Maatallah fired a shot from well outside the 18-yard box that snuck inside the right post to open the scoring. It was her fourth goal of the season.
• Just 3:06 later, Maatallah found the back of the net for her fifth score of the campaign, which came on an assist by senior Cidney Moscovitch (Coral Springs, Fla./Coral Glades) as she put one home through a scramble in front of the net.
• The Judges rounded out the scoring in the 70^th minute when junior Haliana Burhans (Charlotte, Vt./Champlain Valley Union) saw her initial shot saved by Marlin keeper Taylor Chapman, but classmate Samantha Schwartz (Highland Park, Ill./Highland Park) was there to convert the rebound for her eighth goal of the season.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Brandeis outshot Virginia Wesleyan for the game, 12-7, including 7-4 in shots on goal.
• Chapman made four saves in the losing effort for the Marlins, playing the first 73 minutes before Lydia Erickson finished the game.
• Brandeis senior Alexis Grossman (Syosset, N.Y./Syosset) made four stops to earn the win. 
• VWC had a 4-1 advantage in corner kicks.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Grossman reached two career milestones in the game. The win was the 31st of her career, while the shutout was her 20^th. 
• Grossman is tied for fourth all-time in career wins at Brandeis and second in career shutouts behind Hillary Rosenzweig '10 (23). 
• Maatallah's two-goal game was the first four-point game of her career. She'd previously had two three-point games, including a goal and an assist on Sept. 13 of this season.

UP NEXT

• Brandeis has advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament in three-straight years and four of the last five. 
• They will look to move on to their second-straight Sweet 16 in their first-ever meeting against The College of New Jersey. The host Lions defeated Maryville College, 7-0 today, holding the Pacers without a shot. 

- by Adam Levin '94

Note: This release previously indicated that this was Alexis Grossman's 30th win, not her 31st.