Schwartz rallies #21 women's soccer to 2-2 draw at Elms

Samantha Schwartz '18 (photo by Mike Tureski / Sportspix)
Samantha Schwartz '18 (photo by Mike Tureski / Sportspix)

CHICOPEE, Mass. (courtesy Elms College sports information) Brandeis University senior Samantha Schwartz (Highland Park, Ill./Highland Park) scored two goals in the final 12 minutes of regulation today as the Judges rallied to earn a 2-2 draw with Elms College at Leary Field in their final non-conference game of the season. The Judges move to 11-2-3 on the season, while the Blazers sit at 12-5-2 on the season.

After 25 minutes of back-and-forth play, the Blazers broke through in the 26th minute as junior Danielle Asklar (Berlin, Conn.) redirected a ball to senior Mackenzie LaRochelle (Chicopee, Mass.) at midfield, who threaded a pass through the Judges defense to classmate Angelina Estrada(Springfield, Mass.), who raced to goal and beat Brandeis grad student keeper Frankie Pinto (San Clemente, Calif./San Clemente) one-on-one to stake the Blazers to a 1-0 lead.

With 8:07 on the clock, Elms sophomore Haley Richard (Monson, Mass.) chipped a ball to senior Brie Voight (Springfield, Mass.) in the Judges box, where Voight worked around a Brandeis defender and ripped a shot into the back of the net, pushing the Blazers ahead 2-0.

In the 79th minute of action, Brandeis cracked the scoreboard as Schwartz found a loose ball in front and lofted a shot over the head of Elms sophomore keeper Rebecca Molin (West Hartford, Conn.) to cut the deficit to 2-1. With 6:54 to play, Schwartz drew a foul on the Blazers at the top of the box, resulting in a free kick opportunity, with which she lifted a high shot to the top of the net to even the score at 2-2.

The best scoring chance in the bonus periods came for Brandeis in the 92nd minute as Schwartz was led on a breakaway opportunity, but Molin challenged from the net and made a crucial save to preserve the 2-2 draw. Molin also stoned Brandeis junior Hannah Maatallah (Wilton, Conn./Wilton) in the 106th minute. The Judges appeared to have a golden goal in the 108th minute after a corner kick, but it was waved off as being offsides. 

The Judges controlled the shot column, 37-12, during the contest. Molin logged a career-high 12 saves for Elms, while Pinto and junior Gemma Curnin (Topsham, Maine/Kents Hill School) combined for three saves for Brandeis.

Brandeis hosts defending national champion Washington University in University Athletic Association (UAA) action Friday at 7:30 p.m. The Blazers will be back in action for the New England Collegiate Conference Women's Soccer Championship Semifinals, earning the second-seed after posting a 6-1-1 conference record.