WALTHAM, Mass. - Wellesley College rookie Megan Turchi (Rancho
Santa Margarita, Calif./Tesero) blasted home a shot from 30 yards
out just 15 seconds into overtime tonight to give the visiting Blue
a stunning 2-1 win over the host Brandeis University Judges under
the lights of Gordon Field.
Brandeis (5-2-2) dominated the first half, outshooting Wellesley
by a 12-2 margin. Unfortunately, the only scoring the Judges could
muster came in the early portion of the game. Just 2:23 into the
contest, sophomore midfielder Mimi Theodore
(Walpole, Mass./Walpole) slotted a ball to junior forward
Tiffany Pacheco (Rehoboth, Mass./Dighton-Rehoboth
Regional). Freed one-on-one with the goalie, Pacheco netted her
team-leading fifth goal of the season.
Wellesley (2-4-2) dodged a bullet in the 37th minute.
Blue senior goalkeeper Katie Martore (Great Falls, Va./Potomac
School) punched at a high shot from Brandeis senior forward
Melissa Gorekoff (Woodbury, N.Y./Syosset),
deflecting it off the crossbar and out. Pacheco's follow-up went
just wide, and the visitors used the momentum to finally get their
first two shots of the half in the 39th minute.
In the second half, the teams were much more evenly matched, as
the shots after intermission were tied, 10-10. Wellesley finally
broke through in the 59th minute on the third of three
straight corner kicks. Brandeis deflected the first corner wide
before reaching the net, while Judge senior netminder
Hillary Rosenzweig (Boca Raton, Fla./Spanish
River) made a fine diving save on the second. The third time was
the charm for the Blue, as rookie midfielder Chelsea-Ann Patry
(Warrenton, Va./Highland School) found the head of sophomore back
Erin Simons (Wilbraham, Mass./Wilbraham & Monson), who
converted her first goal of the campaign.
There were only two more shots on net the rest of the way, with
Wellesley back-up Sarah Gray (Montclair, Va./Forest Park) stoning
Theodore in the 60th minute and Rosenzweig smothering a
Patry attempt in the 83rd minute. Brandeis had a couple
of corner kicks in the late-going, but were unable to take
advantage.
In the overtime session, the Blue started with the ball and sent
it deep into the Brandeis zone. The Judges cleared, but the ball
went to Turchi, who lofted a ball from about 30 yards out.
Rosenzweig leapt, but the ball found the space between the crossbar
and her fingertips, giving the Blue the victory.
Martore finished with six saves for Wellesley, but Gray earned
the win with three stops in relief. Rosenzweig finished with four
stops in the losing effort.
Brandeis is next in action on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. when they
travel to Cleveland to take on Case Western Reserve University in
their University Athletic Association opener.
BOX
SCORE