With the win, fourth-seeded Brandeis improves to 10-7-1. The Judges will take on top-seeded Bridgewater State University on Saturday at Western New England College in Springfield. Fifth-seed Albertus Magnus closes its winningest season at 15-6-1.
Russo scored all four first-half goals and assisted the lone tally of the second half. He scored his first two goals only 26 seconds apart, with midfielder Theo Terris ’12 earning both assists. Russo converted a terrific through ball from Terris at the 10:05 mark that released him one-on-one versus the Falcon goalie. At 10:31, Terris headed the ball to the left sideline near midfield. Russo tracked it down and dribbled the length of the field, blasting it home from just inside the box.
With just less than five minutes remaining in the half, forward Steve Keuchkarian ’11 played a ball from the right sideline over to the left side of the box. Russo outraced his defender to the ball and kicked it home for his fourth of the night and his ninth of the season. Russo had entered the game with only six career goals. In the 53rd minute, Russo returned the favor, assisting Keuchkarian’s third goal of the season, a blast from the right side of the box.
Brandeis outshot AMC, 28-11, for the game, but Falcon first-year Donato Piroscafo had eight saves on the night, including a stop on a penalty kick in the 72nd minute. Falcon Francois Brown had one stop in 16 minutes of action. Brandeis’ tandem of Taylor Bracken ’11 and Matt Lynch ’11 had three and two saves, respectively, as they combined for the Judges’ eighth shutout of the campaign.
