Senior Gen Crotty (Julia Monaco)
Senior Gen Crotty (Julia Monaco)

No. 24 Brandeis Rallies Past Wellesley Soccer To Take 3-1 Win

WALTHAM, Mass. – No. 24 Brandeis University scored three unanswered goals to rally from a 1-0 deficit and defeat Wellesley College soccer in non-conference play on Tuesday at Gordon Field. 

Brandeis is now 7-1-1 on the year and unbeaten in eight-straight matches since a season opening defeat at MIT. The Blue slide to 2-5-2 on the season and 0-1-1 away from home.

Sophomore Deyanira Ibarra (Los Olivos, Calif.) gave the Blue the advantage 29 minutes into the contest, finishing on a long pass over the top of the defense from senior Gen Crotty (Toronto, Ontario) to make the score 1-0. The goal, Ibarra's second of the season, came on Wellesley's second shot of the game. The Judges would go on to hold Wellesley to just three shots over the final 70 minutes of play. 

Brandeis knotted the score just before halftime, when first year Willa Molho (New York, N.Y.) set-up sophomore Katie Hayes (Eau Claire, Wisc.) at 40:43. After totaling 14 shots in the first half, Brandeis matched the total in the second half, but got two more past the Wellesley defense. 

The Judges broke the 1-1 tie at 57:33 when senior Haliana Burhans (Charlotte, Vt.) scored her third of the year on an assist from junior Sasha Sunday (Bethlehem, Pa.). The hosts carried the 2-1 lead into the final ten minutes of the match, before senior Samantha Schwartz (Highland Park, Ill.) put the contest out of reach with her team-leading fifth goal of the year at 83:11.

Wellesley sophomore Olivia Reckley (Grosse Ile, Mich.) totaled 10 saves in the setback. Sophomore Sierra Dana (Lombard, Ill.) made one stop to get the win for the Judges. 

Brandeis finished the game with a commanding 28-5 advantage in shots, totaling four corner kick chances to just one for the Blue. Brandeis also had the edge in shots on goal, 15-2.

Wellesley will travel to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy for a 7:00 PM start on Friday, September 29. Brandeis will play at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio on Sunday, October 1, at 1:30 PM.