WALTHAM, Mass. – The Brandeis University women's soccer team got two goals in each half today as the Judges – ranked 25^th in Division III by the United Soccer Coaches – handled visiting Johnson and Wales University, 4-1. The Judges improve to 3-0, while the Wildcats fall to 2-2.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The first two Brandeis goals came off headers from close range.
• The Judges opened the scoring in the 24^th minute, when sophomore Daria Bakhtiari (Wilmington, Mass./Central Catholic) was on the receiving end of a Sasha Sunday (Bethlehem, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic) corner kick. The goal was Bakhtiari's second of the season and third of her career.
• The game-winner came off the head of junior Zoe Ballas (Scarsdale, N.Y./Edgemont) in the 31^st minute. Ballas knocked home an initial header by classmate Emma Spector (Needham, Mass./Needham) that needed an extra push to cross the line. It was Ballas's first career goal and Spector's second assist of the season.
• Johnson and Wales got one back less than three minutes into the second half, when Olivia Cairrao delivered a perfect free kick from 20 yards out, around the wall and into the upper left of the net.
• The Judges got their final goals in a span of 2:20. In the 57^th minute, rookie Juliette Carreiro (Upton, Mass./Nipmuc Regional) scored the first goal of her career. Senior Becca Buchman (Rockville Centre, South Side) sent Carreiro a perfect through ball that she was able to take a touch and slip under a charging goalkeeper.
• In the 59^th minute, rookie Makenna Hunt (Tyngsborough, Mass. / Tyngsborough) registered a point for the third-straight game to start her career. Carreiro sent a dangerous cross into the box that Buchman one-touched behind her to leave a wide-open goal for Hunt to score.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Brandeis outshot JWU, 32-8, including 14-5 in shots on goal, and had a 9-2 edge in corner kicks.
• Junior Sierra Dana (Lombard, Ill./Glenbard East) made one save in the first half and earned the win, while classmate Victoria Richardson (Tolland, Conn. / Tolland) had three stops in the second.
• JWU keeper Colleen Lynch made nine saves in the losing effort. The Wildcat defense also cleared one off the line.

UP NEXT

• The Judges close out a four-match homestand with a 7:00 game against Eastern Conn. State University on September 11.