Brandeis Womens soccer has gotten off to a heartbreaking start. Two games played, two overtimes forced, two straight losses: losing to MIT in the season opener 2-1 and dropping their home opener Tuesday night to Babson also 2-1. These losses have left the Brandeis womens team reeling as they attempt to right the ship out of their little rut.
The home opener was especially disappointing for Brandeis, facing a difficult opponent in Babson. Captain Lisa Kaplin 07 provided the games first tally four minutes into the first half on a header set up by a crossing pass from Woodbury, NY rookie, Melissa Gorenkoff 10. Babson tied it up later in the 28th minute with Meg Lynch 08 managing to get through a scrum in front of the net and put it past rookie goal keeper Hillary Rosenzweig 10. From there Babson controlled the momentum, outshooting Brandeis 6-2 (14-9 total) in the second half, but failing to convert, thus sending Brandeis to their second straight overtime match. In the OT frame, Brandeis started with a quick little spurt but Babson pushed back and ultimately, Brandeis broke. A foul deep in the Brandeis territory set up the game winning header by Babson rookie Anna Collins 10.
In their season opener against MIT, Brandeis outshot the Engineers 14-9, including 10 shots in the second half. All they had to show for it was a Lisa Kaplin tally that tied the game 1-1 until five minutes into overtime when Liz Thuerer 10 tallied the winner in that match, sending Brandeis home 0-1 at the time.
After the Babson match, Coach Denise Dallamora was at a loss to explain how and why the team was struggling like it was.
We need to work out a few things, we didnt mark our players coming through.
Goalkeeper Hillary Rosenzweig, who had 4 saves in the game, was slightly more optimistic following the Babson loss.
I think we played better than we played [in] our last game. We just had some bad luck on the free kick that went to the goal and its upsetting that our game was decided on a free kick and not just in the course of play.
When asked about what needed to improve, Rosenzweig replied,
We just need to gel better and communicate better and thats what's lacking a lot. But we just really need to get together and play like a teamHopefully well play better in the next game.
The win gives Babson a 2-0 record. Brandeis will be on the road Saturday, taking on Springfield College before returning home to face off against Simmons on Sept. 13 at 7 p.m.
NotesThe Beavers have a 17-15-2 mark all-time against Brandeis following the winBoth MIT and Babson have used rookie goalkeepers and had rookie forwards score the game winners.