WALTHAM, Mass. – The Brandeis University women's soccer team scored the game-winning goal just 43 seconds after allowing an equalizer tonight as the Judges defeated Bridgewater State University, 2-1, on Gordon Field tonight. With the win, the Judges improve to 7-4-2 on the season, while the Bears fall to 5-6-1.

The first half was relatively uneventful, with Brandeis outshooting BSU, 8-2, including 4-0 in shots on goal. BSU's Tory Viola-Laughery made all four saves for the visitors in the first half. The Bears may have had the best chance of the stanza when Madelyn Morin hit the crossbar in the 18^th minute off of a corner kick.

The Judges finally broke the ice early in the second half, when senior Juliette Carreiro (Upton, Mass./Nipmuc Regional) was pulled down from behind in the penalty area. Classmate Daria Bakhtiari (Wilmington, Mass./Central Catholic) took the ensuing penalty kick and buried it for her team-leading sixth goal of the season in the 55^th minute. It was her second PK of the campaign.  

Brandeis sophomore Yasla Ngoma (North Plainfield, N.J. / Oak Knoll) was denied an insurance goal by Viola-Laughery three different times in a span of eight minutes, while junior Caroline Swan (Pittsburgh, Pa./Pine Richland) hit a post in the 69^th minute.

Fifty seconds after Swan hit the woodwork, BSU got their equalizer. After a Brandeis giveaway in the midfield, Bear forward Michelle Belcher turned and dribbled to the top of the box. Her strike from 20 yards out went over the outstretched hands of Brandeis rookie Hannah Bassan (Aventura, Fla./NSU University School) and under the crossbar in the 71^st minute. The goal was Belcher's seventh of the season.

Brandeis responded just 43 seconds after that in the 72^nd minute. Carreiro sent a cross from the left flank that deflected off a BSU defender and landed at the feet of junior Morgan Clark (West Orange, N.J. / West Orange). Clark volleyed it home inside the right post for her first goal of the season and the second of her career. The assist was Carreiro's team-leading seventh of the season and the 14^th of her career.

The Judges didn't let up in search of an insurance goal, getting off the final six shots of the game to finish with a 24-5 shot advantage. Bassan finished with one save to earn the win, while Viola-Laughery had nine stops in the losing effort.

Brandeis returns to action on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. when they travel to Springfield College. Bridgewater State is at Mass. Maritime for a MASCAC contest Friday at 7 p.m.