BABSON PARK, Mass. -- Brandeis University senior
Sancho Maroto Tobias (Acton, Mass./Lexington) scored twice in the second half as the Judges men's soccer team battled #8-ranked Babson to a 2-2 draw on the road today.
With the draw, Babson is unbeaten in its last five games (3-0-2) and improves to 8-3-3 overall while Brandeis moves to 3-5-4 on the season.
In addition to Maroto Tobias's goals, sophomores
Elan Romo (Weston, Fla./Cypress Bay) and
Rainer Osselmann-Chai (Acton, Mass./Acton-Boxborough Regional) recorded assists. Junior keeper
Quintin Wrabley (Malvern, Pa./Great Valley) turned in a solid performance in goal with a career-high nine saves, including seven in a scoreless first half and another on a second-half penalty kick.
Babson grad student Ryan Grund netted the equalizing goal with just under five minutes left in regulation. Senior Liam Rhatigan also scored a second-half game-tying goal for the Beavers, and first-year Will Lloyd, senior Joseph Cardaropoli and graduate student Justin Stone registered assists in the draw. Junior keeper Walker White made four saves in goal for the Green and White.
Babson carried much of the play in the opening 45 minutes, outshooting the visitors 13-2 but could not put one past Wrabley. He made three stops in succession in a two-minute span late in the half to keep the match scoreless.
The Beavers had a golden chance to break the deadlock seven minutes into the second half but Wrabley dove to his left to stone graduate student Sam Morgan on a PK.
The table was turned five minutes later when Babson was whistled for a hand ball in the box and Brandeis was awarded a penalty kick. White dove to his right and got a piece of the shot by Tobias but couldn't stop it as the Judges drew first blood in the game.
The Beavers finally got on the score board in the 64th minute on a set play. A header by Cardaropoli went to the endline left of the goal, where Lloyd sent the ball back to the front of the goal with a bicycle kick and Rhatigan finished off the play with a header into the left side of the net to level the score.
The Judges regained the lead in the 71st minute. Osselmann-Chai sent the ball to Romo into open space on the left side, and Romo's cross was headed past White into the left side of the goal for Brandeis's second lead of the game. It was his fourth goal of the season to lead the team, and his third career two-goal game for the Judges.
Babson came back once again for a tying goal as Stone dropped a pass back from the top of the 18 and Grund's hard shot from 30 yards out was deflected by a Brandeis defender and changed direction before going into the left side of the game for what turned out to be the game-tying goal.
The hosts finished with a 21-11 shot advantage, including 11-6 in shots on goal. Babson had an 8-5 advantage in corner kicks.
The Judges will play University Athletic Association (UAA) games the rest of the way, beginning Saturday at home against defending Division III national champion University of Chicago. The Beavers will play New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) games the rest of the regular season, beginning Saturday at home against Wheaton.
GAME NOTES
• This was the 70th all-time meeting between Brandeis and Babson, the most-play rivalry in Judges' history. Babson leads, 31-28-11, in a series that dates back to 1955.
• Tuesday's draw was the first between the teams since 2006, although there have been 13 one-goal affairs since then.
