The Brandeis University women’s soccer team dropped a 2-1 decision to the University of Chicago in a University Athletic Association (UAA) contest on Gordon Field. It was only the third time this season that the Judges allowed multiple goals, this time to the Maroons, who are ranked 13th in Division III by the United Soccer Coaches and by D3Soccer.com. 

The first half was evenly played as both teams were able to get off six shots. However, the Judges had the slight edge with four of their six being on goal, compared to just one for the visitors. The Maroons’ goalkeeper did a nice job denying Juliette Carreiro ’22 in the ninth minute as she came off her line to deny an initial save, then forced the rebound to go over the net. In the 24th minute it was Makenna Hunt ’22 who had her shot blocked, as the Maroons’ keeper punched her shot over the crossbar. 

It was Chicago who would finally break through in the 35th minute off a cross to the left side where the Maroons would fire a shot into the back of the net. The visitors were able to get a key insurance goal early in the second half when Brandeis was called for a hand ball along the goal line, leading to another Chicago goal and giving the Maroons a 2-0 lead in the 51st minute. 

The Judges would increase their pressure in order to get things going. Brandeis broke through in the 64th minute as Daria Bakhtiari ’21 crossed the ball from the right side with both Juliette Carriero ’22 and Katie Romanovich ’21 inside the box. Carriero flicked the ball over a defender to an open Romanovich, who buried her first goal of her collegiate career to cut the deficit to 2-1. 

The Judges were able to get one more shot on goal, and it would come in the 66th minute from Bakhtiari, but once again the Maroons’ goalkeeper was there for the save, holding Brandeis in check the rest of the way. Brandeis had a 12-9 edge in total shots and a 6-2 advantage in shots on goal. Chicago owned the edge in corner kicks, 4-3, while Brandeis had seven fouls to six for the visitors. Victoria Richardson ’20 took the loss and did not have any saves.

In their second UAA contest of the weekend, the Brandeis University women’s soccer team went head to head with the fourth-ranked Washington University (WashU). The Judges played evenly with the Bears for 88 minutes until WashU scored a heartbreaker with less than 90 seconds left in regulation to defeat the Judges 1-0. 

With the loss, Brandeis falls to 9-5 overall, 1-3 in the UAA. With a back and forth first half, both goalkeepers did a terrific job, each making incredible saves for their teams. For the Judges, it was Richardson who made an outstanding diving save in the 28th minute. Both teams had an opportunity to strike early in the second, but WashU was denied by another Richarson save in the 48th minute. 

The Judges would get going on a counter attack after the save, however Hunt’s shot went just wide of the goal. The Bears would increase their pressure in order to speed up the pace. It would finally payoff, after Richardson punched a shot back into play over the touch-line, WashU would take full advantage on the ensuing corner kick. The initial kick would hit the crossbar, but the rebound fell to another WashU player who would finish it off with just 89 seconds left in regulation. 

In the final seconds Bakhtiari would get a decent look on goal but sent the ball high over the net to secure a narrow win for the visitors. The final shots favored the Bears, 20-14, including 11-8 shots on goal. Richardson would establish her new career high with 10 big saves in the losing effort. The heartbreaker was reminiscent of last season in St. Louis when WashU scored in the final minute of regulation to secure the win.

The Judges will look to get back on the winning track as they face ​Eastern Connecticut State University at 1 p.m. for a non-conference game on Saturday, Oct. 26.