Men's Soccer Edged by Brandeis, 2-1

By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University men's soccer team dropped to 2-2 with a home loss on Tuesday night.

The Bears were edged by Brandeis University, 2-1, at Mazzaferro Field as they were held scoreless after getting their lone goal in the opening minute of the game.

BSU is now 0-5-1 in its last six games with the Judges, who lead the all-time series, 16-4-4. The Bears' last win over Brandeis was in 2008.

After taking a 1-0 lead in the first minute, BSU managed just two shots on goal the rest of the way.

Brandeis (4-0) scored a pair of second-half goals just three minutes apart.

BSU senior Gavin Norton (Rockland, Mass.) netted his second goal of the season just 46 seconds into the game with junior Hector Bucio (Easton, Mass.) and sophomore Dermott Amorim (Wrentham, Mass.) assisting for the quick 1-0 lead.

After a throw-in from the right sideline by Amorim, Bucio flicked a quick header pass to a streaking Norton, who dribbled in from the right side and slipped a shot inside the far post.

That remained the only goal for more than 56 minutes until the Judges tied it at 57:27.

Sophomore Kaden Collins (Farmington, Conn.) scored from senior Rainer Osselmann-Chai (Acton, Mass.) to even the score.

The goal came off a restart with Osselmann-Chai sending a volley towards the post where Collins kneed the ball out of the air and into the top left corner for his first goal of the year.

At 60:27, senior Nico Beninda (Monroe Township, N.J.) scored from junior Juan Vera (Caracas, Venezuela) to give the Judges the lead.

Beninda tucked a shot inside the left post from just outside the 18 for his second goal of the season.

Prior to those two goals, Brandeis had a prime scoring chance after an attempted BSU clearance off a corner kick.

The ball went to junior Kenshin Murakawa (Osaka, Japan) near the 18 and his shot hit the crossbar.

BSU junior goalkeeper Kyle Sullivan (Enfield, Conn.) stopped three shots while Brandeis senior Tyler Correnti (West Newbury, Mass.) had two saves.

After the goal by Norton, BSU managed only shots on goal by sophomore Brendan Walker (Framingham, Mass.) and junior Nicholas Ribeiro (Bellingham, Mass.).

The Judges outshot the Bears, 13-8, and have allowed two goals in four games.

BSU returns to Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference action on Friday night, hosting the Massachusetts Maritime Academy at 7 p.m.

Brandeis will be in Cambridge on Saturday at noon to face MIT.