Women's Soccer Drops 3-1 Decision to #23 Brandeis

By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The nationally ranked Brandeis University women's soccer team continued its winning streak against Bridgewater State University Wednesday night.

The Judges have now won 11 straight games over the Bears after a 3-1 victory over BSU at Mazzaferro Field.

The Bears' last victory in the series came in 2011 by a 1-0 score. Brandeis is now 6-0-1 in road games against BSU.

The Judges (5-1) are ranked No. 23 in the national Division 3 poll.

They had outscored the first four opponents this season, 19-2, before losing to fourth-ranked MIT, 2-1, on Saturday.

Brandeis and MIT are two of six New England teams ranked in the top 25, joined by No. 2 Amherst, No. 9 Middlebury, No. 17 Williams and No. 21 Tufts.

The Bears are 2-2-1 and will start the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference schedule Saturday, hosting Worcester State University at 4 p.m.

Brandeis jumped to a 2-0 lead in the opening 6:20, but Bridgewater cut the margin in half late in the opening stanza and limited the Judges to one goal in the final 83-plus minutes.

Sophomore Ali Pennella (Stamford, Conn.) gave Brandeis a 1-0 lead just 1:21 into the game with sophomore Tanvi Raju (Hyderabad, India) and senior Rachel Watler (Stevenson Ranch, Calif.) assisting.

Pennella took a through pass from Raju and beat Bears' junior goalkeeper Logan Levesque (Bristol, R.I.) one-on-one.

Freshman Laurene Creteau (Madison, N.J.) made it 2-0 nearly five minutes later. She dribbled in from midfield and fired a left-footed shot just inside the 18 that went off the inside of the left post.

The Bears got within 2-1 at 32:36 when junior Olivia Robarge (Pepperell, Mass.) got behind the defense and one-touched a shot inside the right post.

The goal was set up by senior Sydney Dewhurst (East Bridgewater, Mass.) off a restart with a long volley from the BSU defensive zone.

Robarge now has a team-leading five goals while Dewhurst has a team-best five assists.

Brandeis closed the scoring out 2:35 into the second half when Watler scored with Creteau picking up the assist.

Watler lofted a shot from the right side 40 yards out that went over the outstretched hands of Levesque and inside the far post.

Levesque made eight saves while Brandeis keeper Rachel Ross (Portchester, N.Y.) stopped four shots.

The Judges had a 25-8 edge in shots and 12-5 in shots on goal with an 8-2 advantage in corner kicks.

Brandeis plays again Sunday afternoon against Johnson & Wales.

The Bears' MASCAC opener against Worcester State will be their fourth straight home game.