WALTHAM, Mass. – A late first-half penalty kick proved to be the difference today as the #23-ranked Brandeis University women's soccer team dropped a 1-0 decision to visiting and top-ranked Washington University in a University Athletic Association contest on Gordon Field.

TEAM RECORDS

• Brandeis, 9-3, 0-2 UAA, Ranked #23 in Division III by United Soccer Coaches
• Washington University, 13-0-1, 2-0 UAA, Ranked #1 in Division III

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Brandeis started quickly  and nearly broke the ice in the third minute when sophomore Zareena Mann (San Ramon, Calif./California) sent a header off a corner just wide of the far post.
• Judge graduate student goalkeeper Rachel Ross (Spencerport, N.Y./Somers) kept things even in the 23^rd minute when she punched a shot from WashU's Kasi Karl over the crossbar.
• The visitors' offense picked up in the 26^th minute when the UAA's top scorer, forward Olivia Clemons, checked in.
• After getting her first shot blocked to earn a corner kick, Clemons earned the decisive penalty when she was pulled down just inside the top of the 18-yard box in the 37^th minute.
• WashU's Ally Hackett was called on to take the PK, and though Ross guessed correctly by diving to her right, Hackett put enough on the shot to score her third goal of the season.
• Ross made two more routine saves to keep the deficit at 1-0 entering the half.
• Ross added five more stops in the second half to keep Brandeis in the contest. The Judges increased their pressure to double their shot total from the first half, but could not solve the WashU defense.
• Brandeis's best second-half attempt came off the foot of graduate student Sydney Lenhart (Tucson, Ariz./Salpointe Catholic) shoot free on the right side of the field and sent a shot just wide of the far post from about 12 yards out in the 82^nd out.
• Sophomore Ali Pennella (Stamford, Conn./Greenwich) put a shot on goal in the 86^th minute, but the Bears were able to see out the contest from there.
• For the game, WashU owned an 18-7 shooting advantage, including 9-1 in shots on goal.
• Ross finished with a career-high eight saves, while Washington's Charlotte Shapiro had one save for the clean sheet.
• Brandeis's three losses this season have come to teams ranked #4 or higher at the time of the meeting, with two of those coming by 1-0 scores.

UP NEXT

• The Judges will travel to the Windy City to take on the University of Chicago next Saturday at 12:30 PM, 11:30 AM Central, in search of their first UAA win of the season.