Two seasons ago, University of Rochester then-sophomore forward Bridgette Varin scored four goals in a 5-1 Yellowjackets victory over the Brandeis women's soccer team. This year, Varin, now a senior, only scored one goal against Brandeis, but that proved to be all Rochester needed.The Yellowjackets defeated the No. 15 Judges last Saturday 1-0, giving Brandeis its second loss of the season. The loss snapped a seven-game winning streak and a nine-game unbeaten streak for the Judges, who now stand at 8-2-1 on the year and 1-1 in the University Athletic Association.

Varin's gamewinning goal came in the 63rd minute on a long ball from along the left sideline. The shot went over the head of goalkeeper Francine Kofinas '13 and landed inside the right post.

The Judges had several scoring opportunities in the first half, when they outshot the Yellowjackets 8-4. Forward Sofia Vallone '11, who leads the team with 11 goals in 11 games this year, almost put her team ahead early in the first period.

In the 14th minute, Vallone had two shots saved by Rochester sophomore goalkeeper Bridget Lang, including one from the top of the box. Then, in the 17th minute, forward Tiffany Pacheco '11 was tripped by Lang just outside the goal.

Vallone's free kick went off the post, and Lang saved a rebound shot by midfielder Madeline Stein '14.

Kofinas also made a key save of her own in the first half. A shot by Rochester senior midfielder/forward Kirsten Ross in the 12th minute floated over the goalie's head, but Kofinas was able to dive back for the save before the ball went over the goal line.

Theodore has been pleased with Kofina's play over the year.

"I think [Kofinas] has done great," midfielder Mimi Theodore '12 said. "She's on a bad ankle right now. She did some great things. She's very composed. [Assistant coach Amanda Webb, a former goalie at Dartmouth College] has done a great job working with her, building her confidence. All around, her whole effort has been that much better. She is doing a great job with corners, moving off to the ball, making great distributions, and I think a lot of that has to do with her confidence.

However, in the second half, it was Rochester that had multiple chances to score, as the Yellowjackets outshot Brandeis 11-3 in the half. Rochester's best chance to pad the lead came in the 75th minute, when Ross' shot went off the post.

Despite being outshot in the period, the Judges had one final chance to tie the game in the 86th minute when Theodore fed the ball to midfielder Alanna Torre '12 on a breakaway. Torre's shot went wide of the net by a few yards.

Theodore noted that the Judges decided to change up their offensive formation for this game, but Rochester's defense adjusted accordingly.

"We normally play a four-four-two, and then [Saturday] we came out in a four-four-three, and then we kind of played eventually with four in the back and then five in the midfield and one up top," Theodore said. "Their defense did a good job of covering up that one person up top. It was hard for the defenders and midfielders to find that lone striker to get anything going."

This was just the second time all season the Judges had been shut out, and the first time since Sept. 5. Brandeis had scored 20 goals in its last five games before facing Rochester, including a six-goal game and two five-goal games, but they were unable to score against the Yellowjacket defense.

"I think we were maybe hoping that they would think we were coming out in a four-four-two and maybe kind of throw off their game a little bit by coming out in a different formation," Theodore said. "I thought we thought maybe we'd be able to control the midfield a little bit more and almost shut down their midfield from finding their strikers. I think we were just seeing how they would react to the [new] formation, but they reacted pretty well."

The Judges were also playing without two players who started the season for the team. Defender Allisom Maresca '12 missed her second game with an ankle injury, and midfielder Ellie Einhorn '11 missed the game because she was taking the LSAT.

Brandeis' scheduled home game against Tufts University on Oct 6 was canceled because of rain, and a make-up date could not be scheduled.

The Judges are next in action this afternoon at Clark University at 6 p.m. before returning home for a UAA doubleheader against Carnegie Mellon University Friday at 4 p.m. and No. 13 Emory University Sunday at 11 a.m.