The Judges are off to a slow start to begin the season with a record of 2-3. After being ranked fourth nationally, the Judges have fallen out of the top 25 after losing two in a row last week. However, this is not the first time the Brandeis Judges have faced a slow start to the season. Two years ago, in the 2016 season, the Judges also faced a rough start: after winning their first three games of the season, they lost the next three, and one ended in a tie. Their record going into conference was 3-3-1 and the Judges still managed to get back on the winning track finishing the season 13-6-4, not to mention making it to the semifinals of the NCAA tournament.
Coming off the tough two-game stretch and a week off, the Judges were back in action Tuesday against Maritime Mass. The Judges bounced back in a big way, proving just how dominant they can be. It was a historic effort by the Judges, netting eight goals in the game while shutting out Maritime Mass. Brandeis men’s soccer has not scored eight goals in a game since 2011. Six different players scored, with transfer Bryant Nardizzi ’20 scoring two consecutive goals in the first half, and forward Jake Warren ’20 adding two goals himself to lead the Judges.
It did not take long for the Judges to get on the board, with Warren netting a goal just 33 seconds into the match, assisted by midfielder Max Breiter ’20 giving him his second assist of the season. Warren notched his second goal with an unassisted 56th-minute strike. The outstanding performance gave the junior his second and third goal of the season.
Nardizzi had an impressive night himself, scoring two first-half goals. The first came in the 8th minute off an AJ Mercer ’20 assist. Nardizzi wasted no time, just moments later in the 16th minute he netted a header to give him his second straight goal off a cross from Jared Panson ’22.
Four other Judges contributed to the historic eight goal effort. The next Judge to score was Devan Casey ’19 scoring his first goal of the season with an unassisted strike in the 44th minute. Rookie midfielder Panson notched his second assist of the game, this time to senior forward Andrew Allen ’19 as he was able to net his third goal of the season.
The sophomore midfield duo of Noah Gans ’21 and Evan Glass ’21 would come off the bench to combine for the nice score in the 55th minute as Gans netted his first goal of the season.
The last goal came from another sophomore, Chris Russo ’21, as the defensive back got involved on the offensive end and he knocked home the eighth goal of the game in the 68th minute of play, giving Mercer his second assist of the game.
Although it was quite the display of scoring, the Judges goalkeepers did not give up a single goal to the Maritime Mass Buccaneers. Three Brandeis goalies saw action, Noah Cohen ’20 got the start, recorded a save and got the win. Gabriel Sultan ’20 and Max Blacker ’22 came on in relief of Cohen, with rookie Blacker recording his first save of his young collegiate career.
The Judges were dominant from start to finish, giving them a win they needed to get back on the winning track, as they now improve to 3-3 on the season.
Brandeis will look to carry this dominant performance into their next match as they will face their toughest test as the no. 3 ranked Tufts Jumbos will come to Gordon Field looking to avenge last year’s 1-0 defeat at the hands of the Judges in the NCAA semifinals. The matchup will be Friday, Sept. 21 at 7:00 p.m.
