The men's soccer team grabbed its first University Athletic Association victory of the season last Saturday against University of Rochester away from home. Midfielder Luke Teece '12 scored the game's only goal, his strike from outside the penalty area acting as the decisive tally in the match.Entering the game, the Judges, now 7-3 on the season, were on a three-game skid having not won since a 13-0 win over Newbury College on Sept. 16. The Judges' defense, which had only allowed one goal until the team's first loss of the season, had been experiencing similar troubles having let in seven goals over a three-game losing streak.

But Brandeis was able to find its form for its first win of October. Goalkeeper Taylor Bracken '11 played the full 90 minutes and made nine saves for his sixth shutout of the season.

Coach Michael Coven thought Bracken played extremely well in the team's first University Athletic Association game of the season against Rochester.

"It was one of the best performances by a goalkeeper I've ever seen at Brandeis," Coven said. "Shots that were definitely goals, he made incredible saves on, and he came up big. It was a wonderful effort by the entire team, but if he hadn't performed as he did, we would have lost that game"

The Rochester Yellowjackets, who were undefeated as they entered last Saturday's contest with Brandeis, had scored 20 goals in the season and had only been shut out two prior times in 0-0 draws against Hobart University and New York University.

Rochester tried to avoid being shut out for a third time this season by flexing its offensive muscles, outshooting the Judges 20-7. Bracken's effort kept the Yellowjackets at bay, with the Judges' keeper now ranked first in the UAA in saves per game and is ranked fourth for total saves with 33.

Of Brandeis' seven chances, the Judges would only need one to ensure victory. In the 30th minute, midfielder Evan Ersing '12 played a long ball upfield to Teece's feet. Teece controlled the ball, ran past Rochester's defensive markersand turned toward the goal. Rochester sophomore goalkeeper Scott Garfing made an attempt to close down Teece's angle for a shot, but Teece fired a low drive into the lower right corner of the net for his sixth goal of the season.

Teece's tally ties him for second in the UAA in goals with seven and third for points with 16.

"[Teece has] been on fire: He's been playing very well and very aggressively," said Coven. "He's been winning the ball and taking it one on one. He beats his guy, and he's been scoring goals."

Though Brandeis was outshot, the team nearly found the goal just 2 minutes later as midfielder Steve Keuchkarian '11 fired a shot toward the Rochester goal that Garfing saved for his first of two saves on the game.

In the second half, the Yellowjackets had a slew of chances to score an equalizer. In the 50th minute, Rochester senior midfielder Jimmy Parinello shot from long range and hit the post. On the ensuing play, junior forward Josh Richards fired a shot back into play that Bracken stopped.

Midfielder Joe Eisenbies '13 kept the Judges in front late on in the match as he provided a clearance off the goal line in the 89th minute. Rochester junior defender Scott Zorn beat his defender and powered a free header toward the goal that Eisenbies cleared away.

Rochester had a chance to put in the rebound, but Bracken made another save to keep the Judges ahead.

In the 90th minute, Yellowjackets junior defender Alex Osuch fired a ball toward the net, but Bracken stopped the chance for his final save of the day.

The Judges, who have a three-game homestand next from Friday to Oct. 20, have seven games left on the calendar. The team's next game is Friday against Carnegie Mellon University at 6:30 p.m.

"If the whole team plays the way they did defensively on Saturday, I say we have a good chance in the games we have coming up," Coven said.