The No. 3 men’s soccer team was given an opportunity for revenge in the Sweet 16 round of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III Tournament. 

Matched up with No. 2 Trinity University — a team the Judges lost to in early September — Brandeis had a chance to edge past the Tigers and earn their second-consecutive berth to the Elite Eight. 

Saturday’s contest was a near copy of September’s matchup, as the Judges dropped a 2-0 decision and crashed out of the tournament.

The Judges end their season with an 18-3-1 record, the third time in the last four years that the Sweet 16 has spelled the end of the season for the Brandeis Judges.

No. 2 Trinity 2, No. 3 Judges 0

Much like the September contest, Trinity got an early goal that put them in the driver’s seat for the majority of the clash. 

Just 10 minutes into the matchup, Trinity turned a failed clearance into the eventual game-winning goal when Tigers freshman forward Christian Sakshaug drilled a shot past goalkeeper Ben Woodhouse ’18. 

The Tigers nearly doubled their lead a minute later, but a shot off a corner was sent just over the net to keep the Judges’ deficit at one goal.

Brandeis had a number of opportunities to equalize after Sakshaug’s goal, including a 14th-minute shot from forward Patrick Flahive ’18 that forced the Trinity goalkeeper into a tough save.

 Two minutes later, midfielder Jake Picard ’16 pushed a shot wide following a corner kick, while forward Evan Jastremski ’17 had a 19th-minute shot blocked by the Trinity defense.

Trinity stayed with the Judges in the back-and-forth contest, attempting nine first-half shots of their own and forcing Woodhouse to make a trio of saves. 

In the 44th minute, Trinity would add an insurance goal to put the game effectively out of reach. Trinity sophomore midfielder Brent Mandelkorn sent freshmen forward Austin Michaelis in on goal, and Michaelis put a shot past Woodhouse for the 2-0 lead. 

With a two-goal lead at the half, Trinity came out firing in the second half, taking three of the first four shots in the half and forcing Woodhouse into his fourth save of the contest. 

After the hour mark, the Judges applied a wave of pressure on the Trinity defense but were unable to grab a goal to get back in the difficult contest. 

Jastremski had a 71st-minute shot that was saved by the Trinity goalkeeper and pushed a 79th-minute effort high above the crossbar. Center back Conor Lanahan ’16 lined up a free kick in the 84th minute, but Trinity’s goalkeeper was able to get to the powerful shot. 

Trinity ended the contest with a 17-15 shot advantage, including a 10-5 advantage in shots on net. The Judges were stayed step-for-step with Trinity, catching the Tigers offside four times and earning four corners of their own. Woodhouse managed seven saves in the clash, a career high. 

Flahive and Ocel finish the year tied for the team lead with four goals each, while Ocel outpaced the competition with 10 assists on the year, number one in the University Athletic Association. 

This season, the Judges captured the University Athletic Association conference crown outright for the first time in team history.

The most crucial victories for the season included a 1-0 victory over regional rival Tufts University and  a crucial 2-1 overtime win against Hardin-Simmons College in San Antonio, Tex.

The team also dominated the conference competition after defeating top teams in the University of Chicago and Emory University.

One of the lowest points for the season for the squad came on Oct. 18 against Washington University in St. Louis.

At the Judges' homecoming game, the team fell 2-0 to WashU in its only conference loss on the strong 2015 season.

Next season, Brandeis will look to defend thier UAA championship and get back to the NCAA tournament and compete for a title.