The women’s soccer team jumped out to a quick start to the 2016 season, securing two home victories in their first two attempts. The Judges put away Lasell College 2-0 on Sunday afternoon, while also shutting out the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1-0 on Thursday evening. 

Judges 2, Lasell 0

On Sunday, the No. 13-ranked Judges used a balanced overall approach to defeat their area rivals in Lasell. The team got its first goal of the competition in the 26th minute when defender Michaela Friedman ’17 lofted a free kick cross into the middle of the box where it was sent to the back of the net by forward Lea McDaniel ’17. The goal was the second of McDaniel’s season, and 12th for her career, which is the most in the club early in the season.

The Judges had multiple chances in the first half to extend the score, specifically when midfielder Sarah Hulit ’18 hit the post on a tough cross-pitch attempt. The team had a total of 13 shots in the game, eight of which were on goal. 

The team finally connected on their second goal of the contest early in the second half. In the first minute of the half, midfielder Jessica Morana ’17 scored her first career goal off of a perfectly placed cross from midfielder Haliana Burhans ’18. Morana was able to take Burhan’s pass from the right side and push it into the open goal. 

The Judges were unable to keep up the offensive attack, but the goal differential was enough for the defense and goalkeeper Alexis Grossman ’17. Grossman only had to record two saves in her 13th career shutout. 

Judges 1, MIT 0

Good defense and timely goal scoring was also the theme of Thursday’s match against MIT. The squad’s goal in the 27th minute would be all it would need to secure the victory. 

The team played extremely possessively, ensuring a maximum amount of touches before aggressively attacking. In the 27th minute, midfielder Sam Volpe ’19 dribbled into the box past her defender and found McDaniel running towards the goal. McDaniel was able to slot the ball uncontested and score the team’s first goal of the regular season.

Volpe, for her part, recorded her first career point with the assist to McDaniel. For the game as a whole, McDaniel had a total of six shots, four of which were on target. The team overall outshot the Engineers 15-11, including a dominant first half in which they outshot the visitors 14-5. 

On the defensive side of the pitch, Grossman recorded four saves in each half, which included an impressive stop late in the game. In the 80th minute, MIT freshman forward Allie Werner attempted a shot on the far post that Grossman was able to deflect with one hand to keep the shutout going. 

The Judges have always fared well against their regional competitors, compiling a record of 23-9-3 against them all-time. Most recently, out of the last eight contests, six of the games were decided by just one goal. MIT is 0-1 on the season to begin, having not yet played another game since Thursday. 

Brandeis, on the other hand, is 2-0 and is looking to put together another an impressive season after a 2015 campaign in which they advanced all the way to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. The loss had a particular sting for the team as the contest against William Smith College went all the way into overtime. This season the Judges are hoping to get back to the much-anticipated NCAA Tournament.

The team will next be in action this afternoon on the road against Bridgewater State University. It will then face off against Regis College on Thursday afternoon.