The Brandeis men’s soccer team has almost completed their regular season. They had a campaign defined by high expectations and close games. After starting off slow, they picked up as of late and won a few key games. This past week, they faced off against Clark University and Amherst College. Here is how the team fared in those games.

Clark 2, Judges 2

Coming off of a week in which they played in a combined three overtime periods, the Judges were tired and looking to get things done during regulation. Unfortunately, this was not the case in their game against Clark University, when they tied for the second time in three games. The first half started off as well as the Judges could have hoped. Just 54 seconds into the game, Colin Panarra ’20 had a throw-in opportunity from the sideline. He spotted Bryant Nardizzi ’20 in open field and threw the ball his way. The ball was headed into the box by Nardizzi, where Andrew Allen ’19 was in perfect position to score the game’s first goal. 

Less than 10 minutes of game time later, Allen had yet another opportunity, and ran with the ball deep into his opponent's territory. When he was about 30 yards out of the goal, he launched a screamer into the upper right-hand corner of the goal. Allen’s fifth and sixth goals of the season put Brandeis up 2–0 at halftime. 

Unfortunately for the Judges, this game was a tale of two halves. Clark would take until the 67th minute of play to get their first goal on the board. Sean Munroe ’20 had control of the ball on the Judges’ side of the field. He quickly spotted Jack Stark ’19 with space in front of him and launched a through-ball his way. Stark received the pass, took a couple of touches to ensure proper control of the ball, and fired a screaming shot past the Brandeis goalkeeper. 

For the next few game minutes, it looked like the Judges were back in control and would be able to keep the lid on and escape with a win. With just six minutes remaining in regulation, a Judges win seemed all but guaranteed. However, a last-minute cougar effort changed the course of the game. In the 84th minute of the game, Sam Hartley ’21 had the ball on his own side of the field and was desperate for a chance at a goal. He sent a long ball deep into Judges terrority, hoping a change in field position could spark some sort of opportunity for Westfield State. After landing and bouncing once, it found the foot of a sprinting Munroe, who chipped it over the charging Brandeis goalkeeper to force an overtime period. 

In the extra 20 minutes, Brandeis had total control over the pace of the game, outshooting Westfield State 7-1, including 4-1 on goal. However, it was for naught, as cougar goalkeeper Melvin Vincent saved all four potential scoring plays and kept the score tied at two apiece. 

The game against Amherst College took place yesterday, but ended too late to make it into today’s issue. You can read a summary of the game in the men’s soccer article coming out next Tuesday. 

Looking ahead, the men’s soccer season will end with a University Athletic Association conference road trip. First, they will travel to St. Louis, Missouri to take on Washington University in St. Louis on Friday. The following Sunday, they will pack their bags for Chicago, Illinois to take on the University of Chicago. Finally, the Judges will take on New York University in their season finale on Nov. 3. 

Forget all the expectations. Forget the ups and downs. Forget everything you know about this men's soccer campaign: this last stretch of the schedule will define the season. The Judges are currently ranked fourth in the UAA. They have the same 2-1-1 conference record as three other teams in the UAA, but their overall record vaults them from tying for second place to holding sole posession of fourth. One of the remaining games is against the University of Chicago, the conference leader. Only time will tell if these last four games will propel the Judges into the playoffs.