During the women's soccer team's Eastern College Athletic Conference semifinal match against Emmanuel College last Saturday, Melissa Gorenkoff '10 re-aggravated her ankle injury and missed the last 20 minutes of the game, after scoring two goals en route to the Judges' 3-0 victory.One day later, Gorenkoff notched a goal and an assist against the University of New England to give Brandeis its second-straight ECAC Division III New England title.

"Once I took two Aleve, and once I play, I just forget about the pain," Gorenkoff said.

Gorenkoff was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player. After scoring four goals in 19 regular-season games, she had four more in the three ECAC contests.

"It was just really exciting [to win MVP]," Gorenkoff said. "I'm just glad that we won, because we deserve it."

For the season, Gorenkoff led the Judges with 25 total points on eight goals and nine assists. She also had tied for the team lead in game-winning goals with two, one of which came against the University of New England.

Gorenkoff admitted she has shown a knack for scoring far away from the net throughout her high school and college career. This season, she blasted a shot from about 25 yards out during the team's Oct. 23 victory over Bowdoin College, and during an Oct. 4 loss to the University of Rochester, she notched the only Judges goal from about 35 yards away.

"All my goals are from far away," Gorenkoff said. "I never really get the easy goal. It's always a far shot."

Despite her ECAC success, Gorenkoff still has a higher goal.

"I wish we made it to NCAAs [this season], but there's always next year," she said.