WALTHAM, Mass. – The Brandeis University women's soccer team got a goal in the eighth minute and made it hold up for the rest of the contest as the Judges defeated visiting Emmanuel College, 1-0, on Gordon Field in non-conference action today. The win pushes the Judges' record to 7-2, while the Saints fall to 3-6.
Brandeis's first shot on goal provided the game's entire offense. Rookie back Caroline Swan (Pittsburgh, Pa./Pine Richland) sent a corner kick into the box and junior midfielder Daria Bakhtiari (Wilmington, Mass./Wilmington) headed it home for her third goal of the season. The assist was Swan's third of the season, one in each of the last three games.
The rest of the first half was relatively evenly played, with Brandeis outshooting Emmanuel, 5-3, but the second half saw the field tilt in the Judges' direction. Brandeis outshot EC, 18-1, in the final 45 minutes, and had seven of their 10 corner kicks. The Judges nearly found an insurance goal in the 47th minute on another corner kick, but senior Katie Hayes's (Eau Claire, Wisc./Regis H.S.) header was cleared off the line by the head of Saint junior Rachel Prevost.
Brandeis senior Victoria Richardson (Tolland, Conn./Tolland) and sophomore Rebecca Gold (Pleasant Valley, N.Y./Arlington) each made one save in 45 minutes of work, with Richardson picking up the win by playing the first half. Emmanuel's Lexi Gawron had eight saves in the losing effort.
Brandeis is back in action on Wednesday evening at 8 p.m. when they take on Lesley University in Cambridge. Emmanuel hosts Albertus Magnus in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference showdown Wednesday at 7 p.m.