The women's soccer team's season was peppered with costly injuries, heartbreaking losses and difficult UAA match-ups. On Sunday, all the season's struggles culminated in one final match against visiting New York University. In the balance: a chance to avoid a losing season and gain second life in the post-season by earning a bid into the ECAC tournament. "Whether or not it was going to be our last game, we were ready to leave everything on the field and work hard," Lizzie Bremner '08 said. "There was no way we weren't winning this game."

Bremner was right, as the Judges' confidence seemed to propel them to their 3-1 season-ending victory over the Violets. Captain Lauren Gregor '06 had a part in every Brandeis goal, registering two goals and one assist. The Judges also outshot the Violets 22-8.

The win earned the team its third consecutive berth to the ECAC tournament. The Judges made the field as the No. 7 seed of eight teams, and will take on No. 2 University of Southern Maine Wednesday at 2 p.m. in Gorham, Maine.

The Judges made the tournament last season as the No. 2 seed, advancing to the championship game before losing to No. 1 seed Eastern Connecticut. The Judges finished the regular season 8-1-1.

"We told the girls to give it everything you can, otherwise we are turning in our stuff on Monday," assistant coach Kendall Cox said. "There was really nothing to lose."

Gregor kicked things off only 13 minutes into the game with a shot from 27 yards out that cleared the Violets' keeper and found a place in the back of the net just under the crossbar. The 1-0 advantage would carry Brandeis until halftime.

Still in offensive mode after halftime, Brandeis suffered a costly defensive lapse that resulted in a goal for the Violet's junior midfielder Whitney Dipollina only 15 seconds into the second half.

"We just weren't organized," Cox said. "Our minds weren't on defense then because we had taken the kickoff."

However, the Judges seemed energized by the tying goal and picked up the offensive pressure. In the 75th minute it looked as if the Judges would register their second goal when Meredith Milstein '09 took a point-blank shot at the open net. But Violets sophomore goalie Kaitlin Barnes dove just in time to make a spectacular save, preserving the tie. Ten minutes later, Bremner finally put the Judges ahead after a perfect corner kick by Gregor gave her the opportunity to head in the game-winner.

Gregor added an insurance tally with two minutes remaining, scoring an unassisted goal after freezing the defense with a cutback.

Gregor finished the regular season as the team's scoring leader, with 10 goals and four assists, just in front of Lisa Kaplin '07, who has seven goals and two assists.

"It was a great way to end the season, especially since I had been in a slump for the past few games," Gregor said. "And if this is our last game, it was a great way to go out."

Gregor has been one of Brandeis' most prolific scorers in her four years here, registering 29 goals and a total of 96 points, good for second place on the Judges' career scoring list.

Gregor's fellow classmate and captain Rachel Koffman '06, donning a brand-new metal brace, made her first start since tearing her ACL earlier this year.

Koffman said that she is proud of the way the team played this season, despite the injuries and difficulties.

"We always put up a great fight," she said. "Our team had a great spirit, and the respect and friendships we have off the field showed in how we played."

Last year, the Judges came heartbreakingly close to winning the ECAC championships. Now, heading back to her third straight postseason tournament, Gregor is just happy to be back.

"It's very exciting to make the ECAC tournament, especially since it was kind of unexpected," Gregor said. "We just have to go in prepared, ready to play our game and take care of our competition. We have the talent and the desire, we just need to put it to play.