With the men's soccer team's postseason fate on life support as regulation drew to a close in a tie game against No. 24 New York University Saturday afternoon, all signs pointed to the regular-season finale being decided in overtime. But, as in many other games this season, the Judges fell in heartbreaking fashion. NYU rookie midfielder Michael Burke scored on a loose ball in the Judges' goalie box with just 81 seconds remaining in regulation to give NYU a 2-1 victory in a game Brandeis had to win to have a chance at qualifying for the Eastern College Athletic Conference tournament. The team fell to 8-9-3 and ended the season, winless in the University Athletic Association at 0-6-1.

"The whole season flashed before my eyes [when Burke scored the goal]," midfielder Evan Duval '08 said.

Because they ended the year below .500, the Judges won't get a chance to defend the ECAC title they won last season. ECAC qualifiers must have either a divisional record or overall record above .500, according to Article B, Section 4 of the conference's 2007 men's soccer championships manual.

"We [kept] losing by a goal in overtime or near the end of the game to teams that were nationally ranked," coach Mike Coven said. "It shows we were inches away from being a great team. [Instead], we have our below-.500 record."

Despite heavy rain and wind gusts from the remnants of Hurricane Noel, as well as a 14-11 shot disadvantage, the Judges stayed right with NYU until Burke's goal. The result was a reprieve of two crushing home overtime losses to Wheaton College 1-0 Sept. 19 and to the University of Rochester 2-1 Sept. 29. Five of the team's nine losses this season were by a single goal.

"This [game] was a representation of the season," defender Joe Levitan '08 said. "We play well, we play hard, and we get [opportunities to score], but we don't quite finish it up."

In the 89th minute, with the rain blowing into the Judges' defenders, Levitan deflected NYU's first shot attempt as the ball rolled to the middle of the goalie's box. An NYU player gained possession and attempted a shot, but goalie Taylor Bracken '10 made the initial save. Bracken then saved an NYU rebound attempt, but the Judges weren't able to clear the ball, and Burke was finally able to put the ball into the net to give NYU the lead.

"I was on the ground because I had blocked the first shot and I didn't see the [ball] go in," Levitan said. "[When] I heard the yelling [from NYU] I realized what had happened and my head sank."

The NYU bench emptied as players mobbed Burke. Ironically, in last season's finale, it was Judges' rookie Billy Murphy '10 who scored the game winner on the road.

NYU scored first in the 14th minute when junior midfielder Robert Keller connected for his fourth goal of the season. The Violets remained in front 1-0 until the Judges evened the score in the 53rd minute.

Midfielder Corey Bradley '10 lofted a crossing shot from near the Brandeis sideline into NYU junior goalie Chris Wright's hands. Instead of catching it, though, Wright couldn't handle the slick ball and midfielder Alex Zenerovitz '10 headed the loose ball in. It was the team's first goal against a UAA opponent since the first conference game of the season Sept. 29th, a span of roughly 578 minutes over six games.

After Zenerovitz's goal, NYU maintained possession in Brandeis territory for most of the final 37 minutes, outshooting the Judges 7-2 during this period. Brandeis was going against the direction of the wind and rain in the second half, and players said this made it difficult for Brandeis to sustain any offensive drives or defend against the NYU offense.

"[The weather] was a constant annoyance," Bracken said. "I had to wipe water off my face and my eyes. My gloves were soaked; I didn't want to catch [any balls]."

The loss signified the end of college careers for the Judges' four seniors-Duval, Levitan, defender Brett Fitzgerald '08 and defender David Weinstein '08. Coven said it was an honor to guide these four seniors.

"They made my job rewarding," he said. "What they did for the soccer program goes beyond the win-loss record. They set wonderful examples for the young players.