The women’s soccer team picked up an easy victory last Wednesday, dispatching Wesfield State University 3-1 on Gordon Field. 

The Judges move to 13-2-1 with the win and took both nonconference games that occurred once University Athletic Association action began at the beginning of the month. 

Judges 3, Westfield St. 1

Midfielder Holly Szafran ’16 led the charge for the hosts, netting a brace and adding an assist in the victory. Her 18th-minute strike opened the scoring for the contest, while her 79th-minute goal helped put the contest to bed, part of her game-high eight shots on the contest. The Judges controlled the contest from the outset, registering their first shot on net just two minutes into the game. 

The hosts peppered Westfield State freshman goalkeeper Natalia Falcone with 14 shots in the opening half and allowed not a single Westfield State shot through on goalkeeper Emma Marx ’19, who earned her first collegiate start during the home matchup. 

Just under 20 minutes into the contest, Szafran displayed a superb individual effort to get the hosts on the board. 

Working up the right flank, Szafran dribbled around a pair of defenders before cutting into the 18-yard-box and placing a shot beyond the reach of Falcone for the game’s first goal. 

Szafran continued her command of the midfield later in the first half when she notched her team-leading fourth assist of the season. In the 39th minute, Szafran sent a through ball in the direction of midfielder Alec Spivack ’15 and passed it to Spivack in on net. 

Spivack easily chipped the ball over Falcone for her fourth goal of the year, tied for third on the Judges for the season.

The Judges, not content with a two-goal lead at the half, came out firing as the second half began. Spivack sent a 58th-minute shot just wide of the post and midfielder Mathilde Robinson ’16 pushed a shot high just a minute later. 

The Judges added another 13 shots in the second half en route to a commanding 27-2 shot advantage in the contest.

Westfield State pulled one back just after the hour mark, using a fluky goal to get within one of the hosts. Westfield State senior midfielder Kelsey Murray sized up a defender along the goal line and sent a curler in toward net that evaded Marx and pulled the visiting Owls within one. 

The goal was just one of two shots Westfield State took on the day and was the Owls' only shot on net during the contest. 

It took the hosts just 10 minutes to respond as Szafran netted her second goal of the contest in the 79th minute to put the game to bed. 

A seeking pass from midfielder Haliana Burhans ’18 — who had broken away from a defender before sending a cross in to the 18-yard-box — set up Szafran, who easily slotted the ball into the back of the net for her team-leading sixth goal of the campaign.

The Judges nearly added a fourth goal just before time expired as forward Lea McDaniel ’17 managed to get a shot on Falcone, but the Westfield State keeper was up to the task and made her fifth save of the difficult contest.

Brandeis managed four corners and 27 shots on goal, their highest total since taking 34 shots in a 2-0 victory over Eastern Nazarene College on Oct. 6. 

With the win, the Judges hold a +15 goal differential at home, having scored 20 goals on Gordon Field while ceding just a total of five to opposing sides. 

The squad holds a +22 goal differential overall with a total of nine goals scored in four road contests this year.

The senior class set a school record with their 52nd win in the victory, including two trips to the NCAA Tournament and one trip to the Eastern College Athletic Conference Tournament.

The Judges return to action this weekend with a UAA road trip, traveling to Emory University on Friday and the University of Rochester on Sunday morning.