Three was the magic number for the women's soccer team last Sunday while the Judges captured their first-ever Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III New England championship. The Judges won all three games in the tournament, defeating third-seeded Keene State College 2-0 in the finals. Goalie Hillary Rosenzweig '10 saved three shots to post her third straight shutout of the tournament, and forward Tzlil Castel '08, the tournament's Most Valuable Player, scored the only three goals of the weekend, notching two in the finals and one in last Saturday's semifinal victory over fifth-seeded Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Brandeis also defeated Emerson College 3-0 in the quarterfinals last Wednesday.

"It feels awesome-awesome, awesome, awesome," Castel said. "I'm just so glad my senior year we did it and all the seniors are so happy; [this is the] best way to finish."

The Judges finished the season with a 13-6-1 record. This was their fifth straight ECAC berth, as they hadn't reached the championship game since 2004. Because they were the top seed this year, it was the closest they had come to reaching the NCAA Tournament during that five-year span.

"It was [our] year," coach Denise Dallamora said. "I think the whole team really jelled and we peaked at the right time."

In the final, Brandeis, facing Keene State for the first time all season, suffered three offsides calls during the first 16 minutes, denying them scoring opportunities.

"I really didn't know [what to expect]," Dallamora said. "I didn't have a clue. In fact, I would have prepared them a little bit for that offsides trap, which in the first half really buffaloed them a bit. But [we] did get used to it."

The Owls nearly spoiled Rosenzweig's bid for her seventh shutout of the season in the 30th minute. Owl rookie midfielder Katie Bradford's shot hit the top of the crossbar before Rosenzweig deflected it out of bounds.

"We got very lucky in the first half when [Bradford] hit the crossbar," Rosenzweig, whose voice was hoarse after the game, wrote in an e-mail to the Justice. "I was just glad it did not go in."

Brandeis outshot Keene State 4-2 over the last 11 minutes of the period, but didn't score. In the 37th minute, Castel had her shot blocked by an Owl defender, and the game remained scoreless.

But that changed early in the second half. In the 53rd minute, forward Tiffany Pacheco '11 passed to Castel on the right side of the field, and Castel sent a shot past junior goalie Samantha Hirsch.

"I didn't have much of a reaction [to the goal]," Castel said. "It [put us] closer and closer to a win, but I was kind of numb to it."

Keene State mustered its final shot of the game in the 75th minute, when sophomore forward Kendra Spencer's shot sailed wide. The Judges' three forwards-Castel, Pacheco, and Melissa Gorenkoff '10 -then combined for six straight shots, the last of which found the net in the 85th minute, when Castel converted a pass from midfielder Sarah Jasak '08.

The Owls mounted one last threat in the 88th minute, but defender Meredith Milstein '09 blocked a shot by Keene State senior midfielder Kathleen Keniston that was headed toward an open goal.

After the game, Castel was named tournament MVP, concluding a banner senior season that started on the bench and ended as the Judges' leader in goals, with 10.

"[Castel] certainly peaked at the right time," Dallamora said. "She's just gotten better and better and better."

Last Saturday's semifinal win over MIT mirrored Sunday's victory. Rosenzweig and MIT junior goalkeeper Stephanie Brenman held the opposition scoreless until Castel sent a shot through the middle of the goal with just over 29 minutes left in regulation, sending the Judges to their second ECAC final.

In last Wednesday's quarterfinal win over Emerson College, Gorenkoff scored the game-winning goal in the 24th minute, converting on a pass from Castel. Pacheco then put an exclamation mark on her rookie season with two insurance goals in the 41st and 76th minutes.

Next season, the Judges must replace Castel and Jasak, the team's top two scorers, but retain their third- and fourth-leading scorers in Gorenkoff, a second-team all-University Athletic Association selection, and Pacheco.

All four defensive starters will return, along with Rosenzweig in goal.

"[Our goal next year] is the NCAAs, and more,"?defender Ruth Orbach '11 said. "Keep winning, that's what we always aim for.