The women’s soccer team ended their season on the road at Misericordia University on Sunday afternoon in a grueling 2-1 loss, ending the team’s run at the NCAA Division III Tournament in the second round.

The squad had advanced out of the first round with a 2-0 victory over Penn State Erie, The Behrend College on Saturday night.

The Judges finish the season with a record of 13-5-2 overall, the team’s sixth-best campaign in school history.

The Judges set up shop in the host Cougars’ zone in the first half of Sunday’s game, recording nine shots, seven of which forced impressive saves from Misericordia junior goalkeeper Maureen Ciccosanti. Forward Holly Szafran ’16 and Samantha Schwartz ’18 both came close to putting themselves on the scoresheet with opportunities from close range, but Ciccosanti was up to the challenge, punching each effort over the crossbar.

Midfielder Sapir Edalati ’15 nearly gave the Judges a first-minute lead over the 11th-ranked team in the country, but her shot sailed wide of the post. Brandeis took three of the next four shots in the contest, peppering Ciccosanti from close-range, but none were able to find the back of the net.

The Cougars mustered four responses in the first half, including two consecutive shots just after the 40-minute mark, forcing goalkeeper Michelle Savuto ’15 to make a number of tough saves. Misericordia junior forward Megan Antrim came closest to finding the back of the net in the 40th minute. Her effort from 15 yards out came clattering against the woodwork, but the two teams went into the halftime break with a scoreless tie.

The second half told a different story as each team recorded eight attempts on goal in the half. After the Judges took three of the first five shots in the half, it was the hosts who got on the scoreboard first, when Misericordia junior forward Meghan Antrim knocked a rebound past goalkeeper Alexis Grossman ’17 in the 71st minute.

Grossman made an initial save on a Misericordia shot but was unable to corral the rebound, which Antrim slotted into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead.

Grossman made four saves in her 18th appearance this year and finished the year with a .43 goals against average, the lowest average in school history.

The Judges drew level six minutes later off of a set piece in the 77th minute. Defender Haley Schachter ’16 took a free kick that found forward Melissa Darling ’16. 

Darling ripped a shot inside the far post for her second goal of the year, giving the Judges new life on the game.

The two teams traded goal-scoring chances after the equalizer, although neither squad put a good shot on net. 

The Cougars grabbed a lead they would not relinquish with just under three minutes remaining, capitalizing on a slight misplay by the Judges' defense.

In the 87th minute, Misericordia senior forward Meghan Mahoney took a cross into the center of the box and blasted it past Grossman, sending the Cougars through to the next round of the tournament.

The game at Misericordia came less than 24 hours after the Judges earned a 2-0 win over PSUB on Saturday night.

The Judges found themselves ahead inside of 20 minutes when forward Cidney Moscovitch ’17 fired a shot into the back of the net in the 18th minute. 

The forward took the ball down the right flank and cut to the center just before the top of the 18-yard box, where she turned and blasted home her fourth goal of the season.

Brandeis remained in complete control of the contest throughout the first half, outshooting PSUB 12-2 and holding the Lions to only one shot on goal.

The Judges put the margin out of reach in the 59th minute when forward Holly Szafran ’16 scored off a free kick. 

Szafran, the Judges’ leader in assists on the year, rattled the ball off the crossbar and in, doubling the lead and setting up Sunday’s contest against Misericordia.

Savuto made the Judges only save in the game, combining with Grossman to hold the Lions without a shot in the second half.

Brandeis managed nine shots in the second half for a 21-2 shot advantage in the contest overall and earned seven corners off the Lions' defense.

Savuto and Grossman recoded the two lowest goals against averages in school history—Grossman’s .43 a notch better than Savuto’s .55—and set a school record by allowing only 11 goals for the year.