(03/31/09 4:00am)
The baseball team's fortunes changed as dramatically as the Waltham spring weather last week.With the weather warm in the middle of the week, the Judges snapped off three wins, including a doubleheader sweep and a walk-off win but bookended those wins with two losses, one on a cold day against Wentworth Institute of Technology last Thursday and one in a blowout against No. 6 Wheaton College (Mass.) last Sunday on the day of a large rainstorm. The Judges went 3-2 last week, losing to Wheaton 19-2 last Sunday, defeating Springfield 6-2 and 5-3 last Saturday, winning 7-6 in the final inning against Salve Regina University last Thursday and falling 6-3 to Wentworth last Wednesday. The team is now 10-10 on the season. Last Sunday, Wheaton scored all 19 runs in the first three innings as the Judges made six errors. Wheaton's win was its 16th in a row as the Lyons enjoy their best start in program history. Pitcher John McGrath '11 took the loss in his first career start, lasting only through the first inning. Wheaton scored six runs, four of them earned, in that first inning on the strength of five hits and two Brandeis errors. Justin Duncombe '11 relieved McGrath but surrendered seven runs in the second inning and six more in the third as the score ballooned to 19-0, with seven of the 19 runs being unearned. Third baseman Jon Chu '12, shortstop Sean O'Hare '12 and second baseman Julien Cavin '12, all rookies, combined to make five of the team's six errors."[Our effort] was just ugly," captain Mike Alfego '09 said. "They came out of the gate and put it on us. We made a ton of errors and didn't hit the ball. You can't give any team extra outs, [especially] one of the top ranked teams in the country."The loss to Wheaton was a stark contrast to the Judges' performance earlier in the week. They entered last Sunday's game on a three-game winning streak led by the performances of the three rookie infielders, who combined to hit .391 and drive in eight runs over the three-game span."[The rookie infielders] are starting to come around and starting to mature on the field," assistant coach Brian Lambert '97 said.After falling to Wentworth 6-3 at home last Wednesday, Brandeis started its winning streak against Salve Regina last Thursday. The Judges were able to keep the game within reach throughout, setting the stage for another Judges victory decided in the ninth inning, the third such instance this season. This time, first baseman and pitcher Pat Nicholson '11 delivered. The Judges had just tied the game at six in the bottom of the ninth inning when Nicholson stepped to the plate with runners on first and second and two outs in the inning. Nicholson ripped a single through the left side to score first baseman Drake Livada '10 -- who had tied the game with an RBI single of his own-from second base.Brandeis had chipped away at an early 5-2 deficit to bring the score to 5-4 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning. The Judges then tied the game at five when pinch hitter Eric Rosenberg '11 delivered an RBI single through the right side to score catcher Zach Wooley '11, who hit a single and reached second on a sacrifice bunt by Nicholson. But Salve Regina took a 6-5 lead in the top of the ninth inning when an error by O'Hare allowed rookie Gabriel Constantino to score from second base. Nicholson, who relieved James Collins '09, allowed no more runs in the inning, setting the stage for Brandeis' comeback. "[The win] was huge, actually," Nicholson said. "It wasn't the prettiest, but it was huge for momentum heading into the weekend."The Judges fed off that success, taking both games of a doubleheader against Springfield College last Saturday, winning 6-2 in the first game and 5-3 in the second.Nicholson was Brandeis' starting pitcher in the first game and held Springfield to only two runs on five hits while striking out four. He pitched a complete game, improving his record to 4-1 on the season. "I worked to establish my fastball early on, so when they started adjusting, I started mixing in more sliders. The slider was working well today, and that kept them off-balance," he said.Offensively, the Judges' rookies carried the team as Chu and O'Hare each went 1-for-3 with two RBIs.In the second game, pitcher Drew Brzozowski '10 turned in a complete game, allowing only four hits and three runs, while striking out eight over the course of the seven inning contest. The Judges are next in action at home today against the Massachusetts Institute of Technology at 3:30 p.m. They will then host Fitchburg State University Thursday at 3 p.m., Clark University Saturday at noon and Keene State College Sunday at 1 p.m. The Judges are 5-1 in home games this season.
(03/24/09 4:00am)
After a last-place finish at last week's University Athletic Association Championships, the baseball team was trailing 5-4 in the top of the ninth inning against Bridgewater State last Wednesday. With catcher Zach Wooley '11 on second base and shortstop Sean O'Hare '12 on first base, leadoff hitter and centerfielder Tony Deshler '10 stepped to the plate, hoping to prolong the game, as the Judges were down to their final out.Deshler came through, delivering an RBI single to tie the game as part of a 3-for-5 day at the plate. After designated hitter Nick Gallagher '09 was hit by a pitch to load the bases, third baseman Jon Chu '12 played the hero, driving in three runs with a deep double to left field. The Judges tacked on one more run to eventually bring the final score to 9-5. The ninth-inning comeback sparked a 3-1 week for the Judges, which improved their record to 7-8 on the season after they were beaten in a pitchers' duel last Friday at Rhode Island College 2-1 and sweeping a home-opening doubleheader against Rochester Institute of Technology last Saturday, winning the first game 7-5 and the second game 5-1."We're definitely progressing offensively with guys being more aggressive and figuring out and actually understanding that our philosophy is we're going to swing the bat," assistant coach Brian Lambert '97 said. Last Saturday, pitching and errors were the difference in both games against RIT. The Judges picked up two wins led by the core of their starting staff, Kyle Ritchie '10 and Drew Brzozowski '10. The Judges also capitalized on eight Tigers errors in the two games.In the first game, the Judges jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning with two-out RBI singles from first baseman Pat Nicholson '11 and Wooley. Brandeis continued to take advantage of RIT's mistakes, putting up two more unearned runs in the second inning to extend its lead to 5-0. Those runs would be plenty for Ritchie as he gave up four runs in five innings to get the win. Nick Pollack '11 and Alex Tynan '12 maintained the lead in relief. Pollack gave up no runs in the sixth inning, and Tynan gave up one run to get his first collegiate save."It was big to get the run support early," Ritchie said. "We've got an important stretch coming up, so to get these first two was big."In the second game, Brzozowski surrendered one run in the first inning, but the offense responded in the bottom half of the frame, capitalizing on Tiger miscues for three runs despite only two hits in the inning. The Tigers never again threatened as Brandeis cruised through the rest of the game with Brzozowski spreading eight hits over the complete game, seven-inning effort."[Ritchie and Brzozowski] definitely pitched their best games of the year so far," Lambert said. "I felt pretty good; my slider felt like it was working, and I had good command," Brzozowski said. "It puts us on the right track and gives us some momentum heading into next week." Last Friday, Brandeis starter Justin Duncombe '11 took the defeat, despite his ERA improving to 1.89 on the season after turning in six innings of two-hit ball and surrendering only one unearned run. Rhode Island College sophomore pitcher Gary Levesque proved to be even better, however, as he scattered eight hits in eight innings and struck out seven Judges. Captain John O'Brion '10 was the only player able to crack Levesque, as he went 3-for-3 with two doubles, driving in the team's only run in the top of the seventh inning.For a team that, according to Lambert, has struggled with mental miscues, last Friday's loss stood out as an example for the team's consistant struggles. The Judges had a chance to win in the ninth inning with the tying run on second base and no outs after DH Drake Livada '10 led off the inning with a single and moved to second on an error. But the Judges failed to execute a sacrifice bunt on the next play, and Livada was picked off at second base. Wooley hit a single two batters later that would have scored Livada if he had not been picked off.The Judges' scheduled home game yesterday against Salem State College was postponed to April 17 at 3 p.m. because of the cold weather. Brandeis will next play today at 3 p.m. against rival Wheaton College, which has dominated the Judges as of late, winning seven of the last nine games between the two teams in the last four years.
(03/17/09 4:00am)
Once again escaping Waltham for the sunny fields of the south after earlier playing in a series of games in Peoria, Ariz., the baseball team hoped to defend the University Athletic Association co-Championship title they won last year in the annual UAA Baseball Championship. But with two losses in the final weekend of the tournament after splitting their first four games, the Judges went from contenders for the title to dead last in the span of 24 hours. Brandeis lost to the University of Rochester and Emory University in its two games last Saturday after splitting games with Washington University in St. Louis, beating Case Western Reserve University in walk-off fashion and losing to Rochester earlier in the week. The Judges finished the tournament at 2-4 and fell to 4-7 overall."We had high expectations going into the week," captain and outfielder Mike Alfego '09 said. "We obviously wanted to defend the title, but it's a very strong league-a league of parity-and anybody can beat anybody else in the league on any given day. So now we've got to come back and work harder, so we can move forward."Last Saturday's game against Rochester was essentially a championship game for both teams as Rochester needed the tiebreaker over Brandeis and the Judges needing two wins on the day to get a share of the UAA title.The Judges sent captain James Collins '09 to the mound to face a Yellow Jacket offense that has a team batting average of .347. Collins lasted five innings and left the game with the Judges only trailing 5-3. Brandeis came to within 6-5 and cut a 9-7 Rochester lead to 9-8 in the ninth inning but would not come any closer."Throughout the game, we basically spotted them four runs on mental mistakes that hurt us bad. If we cut out on those mistakes then it's a very different game," assistant coach Brian Lambert '97 said. "But we fought back and finished the game with two men on base and a line drive that their first baseman made a great play on."Tony Deshler '11 led the Judges by going 3-for-5 with 3 RBIs and two runs scored. Catcher Zach Wooley '11 finished the day 2-for-5 with two RBIs, including an eighth-inning home run, the first of his career. High school teammates infielder Nick Gallagher '09 and Alfego combined to go 5-for-8 on the day. "It was a really tough loss, a back--and-forth game," Gallagher said. "It seemed like we'd come back and score three runs, they'd score four, we'd score one, they'd score one and so on. ... We just couldn't close that gap."Lambert said he appreciated the Judges' effort."[Last Saturday's game] shows that we have some fight, which is a good sign," he said. "We just need to get that consistent effort and focus to play well when the game's on the line in the fourth inning, not just the ninth."With their UAA title hopes dashed, the Judges were never in the game against Emory later in the day. Emory jumped on Brandeis immediately, batting around its order in the first inning to get out to a 9-0 lead that eventually turned into a 12-0 shutout that ended after seven innings because of the lopsided score. Pitcher Pat Nicholson '11, pitching on three days' rest after a complete game 3-1 victory over WashU March 10 in which he took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, started for Brandeis against Emory and gave up eight earned runs, lasting just a third of an inning. David Packard '09, John Clark '09 and left-hander Jonah Mandell '09 followed Nicholson and all saw their earned-run averages rise, giving up four more runs over the next 3 2/3 innings as Emory extended the lead to 12-0. "It ended pretty bad, and of course it's disappointing. We went into a big day with a chance to win the whole thing and ended up in last place." captain Mike Alfego '09 said.Lambert said he was also disappointed with the way the team closed out its annual trip to Florida. The Judges went 2-2 earlier in the week, with the most dramatic game occurring against Case Western Thursday. The Spartans took a 4-1 lead before Brandeis responded with three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the score at 4-4 heading into the ninth inning. The Spartans broke the tie in the top of the ninth inning, taking a 5-4 lead, and were just one out away from the victory. But Case Western rookie pitcher Sam Alexander walked Sean O'Hare '12, loading the bases for Deshler. Deshler eventually singled, sending home two runners to give the Judges the walk-off win. "It was a big game, and it was huge to get those runners on base. With two outs, I was just thinking about trying to get a pitch to hit and get it through the infield," Deshler said. Lambert said the team is still trying to find a lineup that will work moving forward."We've still got more to see, but we just want to find the nine guys who are going to work hard and play hard all of the time," he said. The Judges will next play tomorrow at Bridgewater State University at 3 p.m.
(02/24/09 5:00am)
The setting sun in the desert landscape last Saturday night marked the end of the baseball team's inaugural trip to Peoria, Ariz., a trip that began with two wins and ended in a three-game losing streak. The final two of those losses occurred last Saturday as the Judges fell to Hastings College (Nebraska) 8-3 in the afternoon and 6-2 against Washington and Lee University (Virginia) in the nightcap. The Judges also lost to Washington and Lee 7-4 last Friday after beginning the trip with an 11-8 win over Whitworth College (Washington) and a 19-15 victory over Hastings last Thursday, putting the team's record at 2-3 to start the season. The trip was a first for the Judges, who normally do not begin their season until March. It was financed exclusively by fundraising money and donations accumulated by parents and team supporters. They raised over $25,000 in under a year, according to Associate Director of Athletics Lynne Dempsey.The Judges' bats fell silent last Saturday afternoon, scoring only three runs against Hastings after previously scoring 19 runs in their last meeting."We were taking way too many strikes, especially fastballs, early in the count; [we were not] not being aggressive enough and it showed," infielder Nick Gallagher '09 said.Pitcher James Collins '09, who had recorded a save in the victory against Whitworth just two days earlier, took the loss for Brandeis to fall to 0-1 on the season.The frustrations continued for the Judges in the rematch against Washington and Lee, who had beaten Brandeis 7-4 the day before. Captain and outfielder Mike Alfego '09 and infielder Tony Deshler '11 paced the Judges with two hits apiece, but the offense only managed to push across two runs in the defeat. Pitcher Justin Duncombe '11 started the game and, despite surrendering five walks, only allowed one run through five-and-two-thirds innings. The Judges led 2-1 entering the sixth inning, but Duncombe was lifted in favor of fellow left-handed reliever Alex Tynan '12 after Washington and Lee tied the score. Tynan lasted only two-thirds of an inning and gave up two runs, both earned, which proved to be the difference in the game. Pat Nicholson '11, a winner earlier in the week against Hastings, tried to stop the bleeding but also allowed two more earned runs as the Judges fell 6-2. The Judges' offensive struggles were a far cry from their performance on their first day of action last Thursday, when they posted 30 runs in two wins over Whitworth and Hastings. They beat Whitworth 11-8, rallying from a 8-7 deficit when shortstop Sean O'Hare '12 singled home Gallagher and Alfego for the tying and go-ahead runs and then topped Hastings 19-15. The top half of the lineup carried the offensive load in the first game with seven hits in 16 combined at-bats. First baseman Drake Livada '10 led the team with a two-hit, three-RBI performance, while Alfego and Gallagher combined to score six of the team's eleven runs despite both going hitless. Relief pitcher Nick Pollack '10 notched his first career victory, pitching a scoreless eighth inning, while Collins earned the save.The second game saw an offensive explosion highlighted by Deshler's offensive performance, which featured four RBIs including a three-run home run, the team's first of the season. During the trip, the Judges shared facilities and frequently rubbed elbows with members of Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners, who also play their Spring Training Cactus League games at the facilities in Peoria."It was a great opportunity for us to play against some different teams from across the country and see how we match up at this point in the season," Alfego said. "As far as off the field, to travel to Arizona and shoot the breeze with major leaguers during spring training was a once-in-a-lifetime experience". The trip included many highlight moments for the team's rookies. Catcher Kenny Destremps '12, infielder Jon Chu '12 and O'Hare, who also started as the men's soccer team's goalie the second half of the fall season, all contributed offensively, going a combined 15-32, a .469 batting average, with 12 RBIs in the first three games.Alfego said he was most impressed with O'Hare's play. "He was a breath of fresh air," he said. "Frankly, none of us had really seen him play during the fall so to have him jump into the starting shortstop role and hit the ball well was an encouraging sign." The baseball team next plays March 10 against Washington University in St. Louis in the first game of the annual University Athletic Association round-robin held in Sanford, Fla.
(02/10/09 5:00am)
After being upset 90-81 by the University of Chicago, who entered the game with a 2-16 record last Friday night, the men's basketball team trailed 45-38 at the end of the first half against No. 2 Washington University in St. Louis last Sunday on the road. But despite digging itself out of two double-digit deficits in the first half, Brandeis was unable to complete its comeback effort and faded down the stretch, losing 82-57 in the University Athletic Association contest. "[WashU] executed very well in the second half," forward Steve DeLuca (GRAD) said. "We made a few early turnovers in the beginning of the second half, and they just capitalized by making great plays on offense."With the two losses, Brandeis falls to 12-8 on the season and 5-4 in UAA play. Brandeis was already out of the top 10 in the NCAA's first New England Regional Rankings before the contest, so the two losses further jeopardize the Judges' hopes of returning to the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year. The Judges were without five of their regular contributors in last Sunday's game against WashU. Starting guard Andre Roberson '10, starting forwards Terrell Hollins '10 and Christian Yemga '11, reserve guard Kenny Small '10 and reserve forward Napoleon Lherisson '11 all missed the WashU game for a "violation of a team rule," according to head coach Brian Meehan. Meehan confirmed that the five players were not in violation of any University policies?(see sidebar, right)."Although it wasn't really a big deal, it was a team rule nonetheless," Meehan said. "They had to deal with the consequences." As a result, forwards Rich Magee '10 and Vytas Kriskus '12 and guard Tyrone Hughes '12 joined two regular starters, guard Kevin Olson '09 and DeLuca, in the starting lineup. This was the first collegiate start for Kriskus and just the second for Hughes. WashU hit its first nine shots of the game, including four three-pointers, building an early 26-16 lead. Brandeis responded with a seven-point run to close the gap to three points, but the Bears pushed the lead to 42-30 with just three minutes left in the first half. Three-pointers from Olson and guard Beau Bonness '11 helped trim the Judges' deficit to four at 42-38 with 39 seconds left in the first half, but WashU junior guard Ross Kelley drained a three-pointer just before the first-half buzzer to give the Bears a seven-point lead at the half. WashU senior guard Sean Wallis, who, along with DeLuca, was a D3hoops.com preseason All-America selection, missed all but two minutes of the first half, picking up two early personal fouls. Wallis responded right away by scoring seven of the Bears' first 12 points of the second half as WashU took a 57-40 lead with 15 minutes to play. WashU would only allow the Judges to come within 14 points after that and cruised to a 25-point victory, Brandeis' most lopsided defeat this season.Only six Brandeis players played more than three minutes in the contest. Bonness logged 18 minutes off the bench to supplement the starters, and guards John Weldon '10 and Jaime Shannon '12 saw a combined four minutes of action. "It's tough [playing shorthanded], especially when you're playing against the defending National Champions at their place," McKoy said. "We did the best we could, you can't ask for more than the guys gave us." DeLuca said fatigue may have contributed to the team's second-half performance. "I was pretty tired; I think [Olson] was tired. Shots weren't really falling in the second half," DeLuca said. Kriskus and Hughes led the team in scoring with 15 and 14 points respectively. "[Kriskus and Hughes] played well. They had their moments; they showed us that we do have a bright future ahead of us," McKoy said. Hughes said he was told he would start in place of Roberson at the team hotel prior to getting on the bus for the WashU athletic center. "I was definitely not nervous," Hughes said. "I'm always ready to step in. I work hard every day in practice. [Roberson] pushes me every day; I push him every day." Against Chicago, Brandeis shot 60.4 percent from the floor, including 68.8 percent in the second half, but 17 Maroon three-pointers negated the Judges' offensive performance.Chicago built an early 17-4 lead, but Brandeis went on a 17-3 run in the next eight minutes to give the Judges their last lead of the game, 21-20, with 6 minutes, 47 seconds left in the first half. Trailing 38-28 at the half, Brandeis fell behind by as many as 19 in the second half, before cutting the deficit to just six with 53 seconds left. Still, Chicago held on for the nine-point win. "It was frustrating,"?DeLuca said. "Every time we thought we were going to make a little run, they hit a three and extended the lead."Olson led the way for the Judges with 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting, including a game-high six three-pointers. Brandeis next travels to Carnegie Mellon University Friday at 8 p.m. and then to the University of Rochester Sunday at 11:30 a.m.
(02/03/09 5:00am)
With the men's basketball team leading the University of Chicago 27-12 at halftime in last Sunday's home game, forward Steve DeLuca (GRAD) said, that during the intermission, the team emphasized the need to "come out strong" in the first five minutes of the second half. "We didn't want to let [Chicago] back into the game," DeLuca said. "If we can contain them, then we pretty much got them."Brandeis built the lead to 19 points after five minutes of play in the second half, and with 12 minutes remaining in the game, the Judges held a 46-17 advantage with the help of three three-pointers from guard Kevin Olson '09. They eventually coasted to a 67-36 conference win.The win came on the heels of an 80-75 loss last Friday at home to No. 2 Washington University in St. Louis. Brandeis now stands at 12-6 on the season and 5-2 in conference play, alone in second place trailing only WashU in the University Athletic Association standings after the University of Rochester and Carnegie Mellon University both lost last Sunday. "It was good that we bounced back after a tough loss [to WashU]. We needed this," Olson said of the win over Chicago.Brandeis had built an early 13-4 lead midway through the first half, as the Maroons managed only one field goal during this stretch. Chicago cut the lead to 13-10 with 6 minutes, 31 seconds left before halftime, but Brandeis finished out the half with a 14-2 run capped by two three-pointers from DeLuca. "We just established ourselves offensively and defensively [during the 14-2 run]," guard Andre Roberson '10 said. "Our shots started to fall for us and on defense we got out there and we really attacked them." After Brandeis had built a 46-17 lead with 12 minutes to go, the coaching staff began to rest the starters. Rookie forward Vytas Kriskus '12 led the team with 15 points in 18 minutes of play, including a one-handed dunk in the final minute that put an exclamation point on the Judges' second 30-point conference victory of the season, with the first coming against New York University Jan. 17."[Kriskus' dunk] was a mini one. I've seen better in practice; that was just a sample," assistant coach Eric McKoy joked.In addition to Kriskus' 15 points, DeLuca and Olson scored 14 and 11, respectively. Forward Rich Magee '10 was in the starting lineup against Chicago, filling in for forward Christian Yemga '11, who was limited to nine minutes off the bench after injuring his ankle against WashU, according to McKoy. Magee made the most of the opportunity with six points and 10 rebounds."He did a great job rebounding the ball; he did a great job on the offensive board of following shots," McKoy said. "He made some great moves today." Chicago, which is just 2-16 this season after being picked to finish in second place in the UAA in the preseason poll, shot just 27.3 percent from the field, including 3-for-18 in the first half. The Maroons also had 19 turnovers, which lead to 22 Brandeis points."I think our zone [defense] really frustrated them," DeLuca said. "They weren't really hitting shots either, so we were just trying to limit their second-chance shots."Against WashU, both teams shot over 50 percent from the field, but Brandeis still fell behind by double digits at four different points throughout the game. The Judges battled back each time to make it a one- or two-possession game, but they were never able to complete the comeback effort. Trailing 74-70, forward Terrell Hollins '10 hit one of two free-throw shots to cut the lead to three with 47 seconds left. Roberson then tried to draw an offensive charging foul against WashU senior guard Sean Wallis on the ensuing possession but was himself called for a defensive blocking foul that gave Wallis a chance to add to the lead from the free-throw line. Wallis hit both free-throws, and DeLuca missed a three-pointer on the other end of the court. WashU hit its free-throws down the stretch to hold on for the 80-75 win.Guard Kenny Small '10, Roberson, Hollins and DeLuca all had double-digit point totals. Small led the Judges with 17 points, Roberson had 16, Hollins tallied 14, and DeLuca added 13. WashU, however, had five players score in double figures, led by sophomore guard Aaron Thompson, who scored 18 points."We learned a lot from [the WashU] game, especially defensively," Olson said. "They ran everything they wanted to, and we don't feel like we played that great of a game, and we lost by five points, so in that mindset, we know we can fix things and give them a good run."The game was delayed for nearly half an hour late in the second half when a fan injured his knee break-dancing on the floor during a timeout. He was treated and taken to the hospital in an ambulance. Brandeis returns to action on the road this weekend against the same two teams. The Judges will play at Chicago Friday at 9 p.m. and at WashU Sunday at 1 p.m.
(01/27/09 5:00am)
When the men's fencing team faced Brown University earlier this season at the Brandeis Invitational Dec. 8, the foil squad dropped seven of nine matches to the Bears in an eventual 16-11 defeat. Given another chance to face the Bears at last Saturday's Northeast Fencing Conference meet, the Judges' foil squad was determined to avenge their defeat, this time on the Bears' home floor."The foil squad worked hard in practice and just came in with a much better attitude, an attitude more of 'We can win, we can beat these teams, we are the better team,' and it was successful," captain and foil Will Friedman '09 said.The hard work paid off, as the men's team defeated Brown 17-10, one of five victories on the day against no defeats. The Judges also defeated Tufts University, Vassar College, Boston College and Dartmouth College. The women's team also went undefeated in six matches, including a 19-8 win over Brown, the defending conference champion."It was very gratifying to come back and beat [Brown and Boston College]," Friedman said. "I think it really speaks to the improvement of [the men's team] and the work ethic."The men defeated Tufts 17-10, Vassar 15-12, Boston College 15-12 and Dartmouth 23-4. The women took down Tufts 16-11, Vassar 20-7, Smith College 17-10, Brown 19-8 and Boston College 19-8.After the loss to Brown in December, coach Bill Shipman worked with two of his younger fencers, foils Sean Norton '12 and Andrew Mandel '11, on their attack moves, hoping to improve their performance this time around."With [Norton] and [Mandel], over the last few weeks to hopefully help turn them around, we worked on a few things," Shipman said. He added: "Not being so defensive and reactionary, just basic fencing things."The men's squad also avenged an earlier 15-12 loss against Boston College at the Beanpot Fencing Championship Dec. 3. The women's team defeated Brown earlier in the year at the Brandeis Invitational in a close 14-13 match that was decided by the Brandeis epée squad winning seven of nine bouts. At the rematch last Saturday, classmates Jess Davis-Heim '09 and Jessica Newhall '09 won two bouts against Brown sophomore foil Francesca Bartholomew, who went 19-4 at the Brandeis Invitational last month. "It's a good accomplishment, I think, [to defeat Brown], especially [for] the women to win so handily as they did," Shipman said. "We have a very balanced nine-[person] team; we don't have any real stars."Newhall said her win against Bartholomew was particularly rewarding, since the two have a history of fencing close bouts, dating back to their high school careers. Newhall said she changed her strategy, and it paid off, as she took the first four points of the bout and eventually won 5-2."I know what I usually do against her, and I know that for me to do that five times in a row is going to be unlikely," Newhall said. "I knew I had to mix it up and bring some different things to the table, and surprisingly, she just didn't catch on to any of it," Newhall also said the team camaraderie has contributed to their success this year."The past three years, we've always had a really very good team; I think we have our best team yet this year, physically and also emotionally," Newhall said. "We all get along well; we all are really good friends, and I think it really helps us to pull out the wins that we need to. There's great team cohesion, there's great support, there's great physical ability."The women's team next hosts Wellesley College tomorrow at 7 p.m. The men's and women's teams will then travel to Massachusetts Institute of Technology for the Brandeis/MIT Invitational Feb. 1.
(01/13/09 5:00am)
If you have any knowledge of the late 1970s, or if you have seen the first five minutes of Milk, then you know that the aforementioned biopic ends with the murder of Harvey Milk. However, despite knowing that Milk's death was forthcoming, there were still audible gasps from the audience during the scene in which the gay rights activist's life was taken, not so much because the image was particularly gruesome, but rather because it was so shocking that someone would murder the kind, vibrant man we had become attached to in two short hours.During this time, Milk relates the final eight years of Harvey Milk's life, beginning with his initial migration to California in search of a "new scene" and ending with a march of 30,000 people in honor of his passing. One of the film's greatest strengths lies in its ability to impart unto the audience the sentiments of those Milk "recruited" for his cause and who later publicly mourned him; over the course of the movie, viewerse begin to fear for Milk, seeing every strange visitor-drunken man and innocent child alike-as a threat to the enigmatic leader. The movie also possesses an incredible talent for depicting the varying levels of discrimination that existed during Milk's lifetime, for 'Milk' demonstrates that prejudice comes not only in the blatant form of hate crimes and death threats, but also in more subtle fashions, such as in the casual wiping of one's hand after shaking that of a supposed "sexual deviant."Milk, by way of its amazing cast, also gives viewers a sense of the weariness and righteous anger felt by those persecuted during the 1970s; it is difficult not to sympathize with Milk and his compatriots after watching the countless authentic clips included in Milk that feature public figures labeling homosexuals-those like Sean Penn's incredibly benevolent, emotionally-battered Milk and James Franco's compassionate Scott Smith-as "pedophiles" who do not deserve the lives they have built for themselves. Indeed, after watching Emile Hirsch's excellent portrayal of Cleve Jones, the physical manifestation of pissed-off youth, I have to wonder if, had Milk been released prior to Nov. 4, Proposition 8 still would have prevailed; there's something about this film that makes you angry about not being in streets protesting right at that second. But, then again, maybe the film wouldn't have changed a thing; for, until I saw Milk and the intensity with which past generations rallied, I didn't believe in the quiet nature of Generation Y and our tendency to-in the words of blogger of Rebecca Thorman-"think we're making a difference by adding the 'Causes' application to Facebook." When did we begin restricting our anger to the Internet?
(01/13/09 5:00am)
Around this time every year, without fail, film critics across the country trot out their year-end retrospectives on the highlights of the past 12 months, usually in the form of a top-10 list. It is time-honored ritual, as critics love the chance to laud popular films from the past year as well as inform readers of great films they may have missed. Of course, the idea that there are 10 movies every year worth celebrating above all others is more than a bit arbitrary, and even famed critic Roger Ebert has moved away from a formal top-10 list to a top-20 list this year, which is a number no less capricious.In truth, year-end recaps should be a chance for critics to celebrate those films that are truly great, films which will be remembered long after the year's awards are handed out. Each year there are a huge number of bad films, a bunch of very good films, but only a select few great films. Perhaps there are 10 of them in a year, but perhaps there are five or 15. So without further ado and in no particular order, here are my picks for the seven best films of the year, the seven films I feel elevate themselves from the pack to achieve greatness. This year was one filled with violent movies, from the sheer brutality of this year's crop of superhero movies to the now almost routine violence of Saw V and other like-minded horror movies. Therefore, it is somewhat ironic that a film about wrestling is easily the most brutally violent. Starring Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler tells the story of an over-the-hill wrestler clinging to the sport even as his body fails him. To call Rourke's one of the best performances of the year does not nearly do it justice, as Rourke inhabits the character's every breath, every movement; you don't feel like you are watching an actor's performance, but rather the movements and actions of an old wrestler whose body is breaking down. Though painful to watch at times, The Wrestler is perhaps the year's most fully realized film, effectively telling the character's story without resorting to cinematic trickery or Hollywood melodrama.Slumdog Millionaire, in contrast to the documentary-style aesthetic of The Wrestler, is a film that is heavily stylized with a story that moves about a mile a minute. At its core it is a love story, but Slumdog Millionaire is much more than the romantic plot we see in countless movies each year. It is also a story of overcoming extreme poverty, a crime saga and even, at one point, a Bollywood musical. It is a film that defies description, one that is without question one of the most unique and best pictures of the year.If Slumdog Millionaire is defined by the wild exuberance of its storytelling, The Visitor is a film characterized by its restraint. Written and directed by Todd McCarthy, the filmmaker behind the 2003 Sundance Film Festival hit The Station Agent, The Visitor tells the story of Walter Vale, played with admirable moderation by Richard Jenkins. Walter is a college professor teaching in the suburbs of Connecticut who has become depressed and complacent in his life since his wife's death years before. When prompted to attend a conference in New York on world economics, it is only with great reluctance that he agrees to return to the apartment he and his wife used to share. Something goes awry, though, when he finds his supposedly long-vacant apartment occupied by an illegal immigrant couple. While I won't reveal the twists and turns the story takes from there, the relationship between the characters slowly grows as layers of Walter's personality are revealed. The writing is nothing short of remarkable, as McCarthy's script manages to be universally relatable while also feeling highly personal. While it may not be one of the flashier pictures released this year, The Visitor is surely one of the best.Much like The Visitor, Jonathan Demme's Rachel Getting Married boasts a remarkably restrained yet emotionally powerful script. Written by Jenny Lumet, daughter of great filmmaker Sidney Lumet, the film's script is revelatory, centering on flawed characters without ever judging them for their shortcomings. The picture is about a family coming together for the marriage of Rachel (Rosemarie DeWitt), one of two sisters. While Rachel tries to keep her life and her wedding together, younger sister Kym (Anne Hathaway), having just checked out of rehab, is determined to shake things up. Hathaway's character undoubtedly steals the show in the film, and one must commend her for what is easily her best performance to date. Also, the film's realistic, home movie-style aesthetic perfectly suits its script, leading to a film that is something of an instant masterpiece.Looking back at 2008, it is strange to realize that in a year during which the national conversation was so clearly dominated by the presidential election, there was only one film that truly dealt with politics in a relevant way. That film is Milk, the story of an openly gay San Francisco city supervisor whose story became a symbol of gay rights in this country. While Milk is a film that could have been made in any year, the character's speeches emphasizing hope and change take on added meaning seen through the lens of our nation today. The movie features stellar performances from Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch and Josh Brolin, among many others. It seems like every year around this time, Pixar's latest animated feature makes it onto numerous critics' "Best of the Year" lists. Last year it was Ratatouille, while in past years movies like Toy Story or Monsters, Inc. achieved critical acclaim. These films are deceptively simple on the surface yet complex upon closer inspection, managing to please both those looking for a fun and lively story but also those looking for a little more depth. Thankfully, this year Pixar's filmmakers have managed to completely outdo themselves with their latest release, Wall-E. Equal parts adventure, science fiction and romance, WALL-E tells the story of the last robot on a long-abandoned Earth. Its science fiction inspirations are obvious, with references to Stanley Kubrick's 2001 and the Alien series. But perhaps less obvious yet more important is the debt it owes to silent film stars, particularly Charlie Chaplin. Chaplin was the king of using only facial expressions to convey complex emotions, and Pixar has absorbed this impressive ability and used it to perfection with the largely silent main character, WALL-E. And, even if the film does have a few slip-ups in its second half, it has moments so revelatory, so exuberantly beautiful that the movie is elevated beyond mere animated entertainment into true artistry.Finally, The Dark Knight is without a doubt the film which will go down as the most important, if not the best, film of the year. Looking back at the phenomenon surrounding its release, the most remarkable thing is not that a film about a man dressing up like a bat made nearly a billion dollars worldwide, but rather that a film as unsparingly dark as The Dark Knight made any money at all. Of course, much of the hype surrounding the film focused on the tragic death of the far-too-young Heath Ledger. His performance instantaneously has become legendary, as he is perhaps the most fearsomely sadistic character to set foot onscreen since Alex, the protagonist of A Clockwork Orange. Yet even more remarkable is that the film seems to identify as much with the Joker's views of the world as it does with Batman's; a noteworthy scene near the film ends shows the Joker suspended upside down, and the audiences watches with a mix of glee and terror as the camera itself turns upside down, changing our perspective so that the Joker now appears upright. It is an astonishing moment, the point at which the character's viewpoints are legitimized, as if in the world today perhaps the Joker's view of chaos and anarchy is the only true way of understanding things. While the film has a number of outstanding aspects, it is its willingness, and perhaps even eagerness to promote divergent and downright scary views of the world that separated the film from the countless other superhero films that emerge every year.
(11/11/08 5:00am)
As the final minutes of the men's soccer team's season finale at New York University last Saturday approached, forward Ben Premo '09 said it was tough to hold back his emotions in what would be the final game of his and co-captain Kevin Murphy's '09 college careers. "With about three minutes left it started to overwhelm me, and I couldn't help but feel sad," Premo said. "You don't know how it feels until you're actually there."The Judges concluded their season with a 2-0 loss to NYU, ending their postseason chances and clinching the team's second-straight winless season in the University Athletic Association. With the loss, Brandeis fell to 0-5-2 in conference play and dropped its overall record to 8-9-2, making it ineligible for the Eastern College Athletic Conference tournament. In order to qualify for the ECACs, a team must have an overall record of at least .500."It wasn't [a] lack of effort on our part. We knew how important this game was, and we worked hard all week," coach Mike Coven said. "I can't put my finger on what went wrong this season. We had high expectations, and it just didn't work out."The Violets scored in the 18th minute when senior forward Branden Neal tapped in a crossing pass from junior midfielder Brandon Hintz for his team-leading seventh goal of the season. The lead held, and in what continued to be a theme in Brandeis' UAA games this season, the Judges were forced to play more aggressively in the second half only to fall further behind. This time, the Judges gave up another goal in the final minutes of the contest when NYU rookie midfielder Badr Bevaart volleyed in a free kick by Hintz in the 81st minute. "This game was very typical of us," Coven said. "A lot of games this year we didn't start well, and then we played with urgency and played better. Those late goals happen because we move up our guys when we get down. It happened against [Carnegie Mellon University] and [Emory University], and we blew a late lead against [the University of Chicago]." Brandeis was shut out for the fifth time this season and has been blanked four times by UAA opponents. "Like every UAA game, the other team came out flying and wanting it more than us," Premo said. "We came out flat again and tired-looking. They pressured us early and got that early goal, and it killed us."Coven said the Judges weren't able to develop offensive continuity on Saturday. "We didn't really develop a flow or rhythm on offense where all 11 guys would be involved in the attack, and you play as a team," Coven said. "It can look really attractive, and we had moments like that [this season], but they were few and far between, and that really was lacking for us in our UAA games."Though the Judges struggled toward the end of the season, the team is confident about the future of the program.This season saw the emergence of multiple rookies who accumulated significant minutes throughout the year. Sean O'Hare '12 won the starting goalie job early in the season before ultimately splitting time with Lynch, while midfielder Luke Teece '12 made his presence known early by picking up two assists in the season opener against Endicott College on Aug. 30.Midfielder Evan Ersing '12 and defender David McCoy '12 found their way into the rotation midway through the season, and forward Alex Farr '12 finished third on the team with four goals. "This team is only losing two seniors, so they'll have a lot to look forward to next season and years after that," Premo said. "They should do well in the future."Premo became the fifth-leading scorer in the team's history and finished his career with 98 points. He and Murphy will be the only two players leaving the team, but Coven said they will both be missed. "These two are very special players. They're both four-year starters," Coven said. "Premo really became a complete soccer player this year and is not just a goal-scorer. With Murphy, we had the most versatile, dependable and one of the most important players we've had in years. . Both of them will be tough to replace.
(11/04/08 5:00am)
The men's soccer team held nationally ranked Carnegie Mellon University scoreless through the first 40 minutes of play at home last Sunday and seemed to be on their way to a tie going into the half. But that was before Tartans' junior forward took a long pass from junior midfielder Keith Haselhoff and placed the ball over the head of pursuing goalie Sean O'Hare '12 and into the net, giving Carnegie Mellon an advantage it never surrendered. Griffin added his second goal of the game and 14th of the season in the second half, leading Carnegie to an eventual 2-1 victory in the Judges' final home match of the season. Brandeis fell to No. 6 after losing to undefeated Emory University 2-0 last Friday and are now 8-8-2 overall and 0-4-2 in the University Athletic Association."It's been a disappointing weekend," coach Mike Coven said after Sunday's loss. "We were very flat in the first half today, and then when we went down by two goals, we felt that sense of urgency and started to play and put pressure on them, but it's disappointing."Brandeis got on the board in the 71st minute when forward Ben Premo '09 knocked in a loose ball in front of the Carnegie net with the back side of his foot. Earlier in the play, forward Alexander Farr '12 won possession of the ball and eventually assisted Premo's 10th goal of the season. Brandeis could not create any more offense in the remaining time and was outshot on the afternoon 23-5. O'Hare's 11 saves helped prevent Carnegie Mellon from breaking the game open. "We just didn't have it today," Premo said. "And like every other UAA contest, we just don't bring it 100 percent. I don't know what it is, but we have one game left, and if we win or draw, we have a shot at [the Eastern College Athletic Conference tournament], and if we lose, then the season's over."The loss to Carnegie Mellon was the last regular-season home game captains Premo and defender Kevin Murphy '09 will play. They were recognized during pregame introductions for their career achievements. "These are the best seniors we've had in years," Coven said. "They're four-year starters, members of the ECAC Championship team, great leaders, great kids, great people and great soccer players. I'm only going to lose two players next year, but they're special for us and very valuable."Brandeis lost two players to injuries in the second half. Midfielder Kyle Gross '11 sat out the entire second half, and midfielder Patrick Metelus '10 injured his right foot in the 60th minute and did not return. The Judges were also without midfielder Jaime Batista '10, who Coven said missed the game due to an illness.In Friday's game against Emory, Brandeis went into the second half tied with the undefeated Eagles, but rookie forward Ben Schlang put Emory on the board in the 53rd minute with his ninth goal of the season. Lynch made nine saves during the night, including a diving stop on a penalty kick from senior midfielder Marc Del Marmol. Del Marmol, however, got his revenge when he knocked in his seventh goal of the season off a free kick by senior midfielder Joey Howie in the 86th minute. "The second goal was inexcusable; we just let a guy in the box turn and shoot," Coven said. "They're the sixth-best team in the country. They start nine seniors and have experience. They're the best team we've played this year. I think we could've played them a little bit better. I'm disappointed, but that team could make a run for a national championship."The Judges close out the season at New York University next Saturday. A win would give Brandeis its first victory in the UAA and qualify them for the ECAC tournament. The Judges can also qualify with a tie."I just want to win a UAA game and end on a good note," Coven said.
(10/28/08 4:00am)
After Springfield College junior goalkeeper Kevin Leahy dropped the ball on the edge of the 18-foot goal box, men's soccer team forward Ben Premo '09 took the ball and pivoted among the defenders to situate himself into shooting position. He then fired the ball into the side of the net, breaking a scoreless tie in the 28th minute of last Wednesday night's home game. Premo's goal gave Brandeis a 1-0 lead, one they would not relinquish en route to a 2-0 victory. The win snapped a seven-game winless streak for the Judges, a stretch in which they only scored four goals total. The Judges are now 7-6-2 with four games remaining."It looked like it was really easy, but in that situation, to be surrounded by the goalkeeper and defenders, [Premo] had the composure to keep possession and turn perfectly to place the ball into the side of the net," coach Mike Coven said. "A lot of other players would have shot that ball wide and high, so [Premo] did a nice job."Premo's ninth goal of the season put him in sole possession of fifth place on the Judges' all-time scoring list with 37 goals and 95 points. "Most of those numbers came in my first two seasons, and right now I feel I'll appreciate this all more when I'm older," Premo said. "I guess it's nice to see your name listed there, but I haven't been to an NCAA tournament in my career, and that's something that would have been more important."Brandeis added its second goal of the game in the 52nd minute when midfielder Jaime Batista '10 won a ball in the midfield and gave midfielder Patrick Metelus '10 a lead pass up the sideline. Metelus fed the ball back across the goal area to a cutting Batista, who finished the play for his second goal in as many games. Goalie Matt Lynch '11, starting his fourth game of the season, made all five saves that came his way. Coven said that the team will continue to alternate goalkeepers between Lynch and Sean O'Hare '12, who originally won the job earlier in the season. Last year's starter, Taylor Bracken '10, is no longer on the roster."We're fortunate to have two very good goalkeepers," Coven said. "Sometimes both of them can look better than the other, but they're both playing very well. I have confidence in both of them, so we'll just keep alternating them until one of them proves to step up over the other." The team hopes to qualify for the Eastern College Athletic Conference tournament and regain the championship the squad won in 2006. The ECAC selection committee only considers teams with records of .500 or better, making the final stretch of the Judges' season critical for their postseason hopes."This game and our next one against Lasell are must-wins for us," defender Kevin Murphy '09 said. "We have three tough [University Athletic Association] games after Lasell, so we need to pick up wins where we can in order to get a spot in the ECACs." The Judges travel to Lasell College today for a 3 p.m. game and then play two of the remaining three University Athletic Association games at home next weekend. The first game is against Emory University Oct. 31 at 7:30 p.m., and the second is against Carnegie Mellon University Nov. 2 at 1:30 p.m. The Judges end the season at New York University Nov. 8.Murphy said he believes the team will, in fact, reach the ECAC tournament for the second time in three years."This is the most confident I've been in the UAA since I've been here," he said. "I don't think there's been a game in the UAA, with the exception of the one against Rochester, where we weren't in the game. This is one of the most competitive teams in the UAA we've had since I've been here. We've played everybody tough, so I'd say we're real confident going into the final games.
(10/07/08 4:00am)
Brandeis was already down 1-0 in the fifth minute of its University Athletic Association opener at the No. 22 University of Rochester last Saturday when the Judges' defense committed a blunder that doubled their deficit.After a scramble for possession near the Brandeis net, a Judges defender tried to fire the ball across the field in an attempt to clear the defensive zone but instead kicked the ball off the side of his foot and into the Judges' net. "We lost the ball in the middle, and [the defender] was just put in a tough spot," captain and defender Kevin Murphy '08 said. "That stuff just happens sometimes in soccer games. There's nothing you can really do about it." The Yellow Jackets would add their third goal of the half when junior forward J.J. Dennstedt connected in the 22nd minute and maintained their 3-0 lead through the end of the match. Brandeis dropped to 6-4 on the season and 0-1 in the UAA with their third consecutive loss. The Judges also fell to Bridgewater State College last Wednesday, 2-1.The Judges' losing streak has included defeats from two of the top25 teams in the nation, including a 2-1 loss at then-No. 22 Wheaton College Sept. 29. Coach Mike Coven said last Saturday's loss to Rochester was the most one-sided of the Judges' losses this season."This is the first game we got beat bad," he said. "Rochester is the fastest team I've seen all year. We were pressured high all the time and part of our game plan was to have our backs clear the ball on the defensive third of the field and try not to hold on to it, and we didn't do that. It's disappointing, because we worked on that all week and our backs held on to the ball too much."Rochester outshot Brandeis 8-2 in the first half, and goalie Sean O'Hare '12 made three saves and allowed three goals. The teams played evenly in the second half due to Brandeis' halftime adjustments.The Judges have been experimenting with their defensive personnel in the last few games and decided again to make a change in their strategic approach. Brandeis started the game with four midfielders and two forwards but played five midfielders and one forward in the second half in order to maintain possession of the ball in the middle of the field.Brandeis' strategy worked defensively, as they did not allow Rochester to get off a shot in the second half, but the Judges were also held without a shot and could not come back from three goals down."If you take something positive from the whole thing, is we never gave anything up in the second half and played perfectly even," Coven said. "It shows a lot of character in our kids. We played great for 45 minutes against one of the top teams in the country, and that's a tribute to our guys."Murphy said the team is still getting used to the midseason defensive adjustments, pointing out the move of former midfielder Luke Teece '12 to the defense, but is also confident looking ahead."We also moved Teece back there too so the defense has definitely been shaken up a little bit, but we've all played together in practice, so it's not like we haven't played together before," Murphy said. "It'll take us a while to really get used to playing together, but we'll get there."On Wednesday, Brandeis fell behind 2-0 against Bridgewater State before midfielder Patrick Metelus '10 sent the ball on a free kick to forward Ben Premo '09, who scored his eighth goal of the season and 36th of his career. The goal tied him for fifth on Brandeis' all-time list and cut the Bears' lead to 2-1. Despite tallying nine shots in the final 26 minutes, Brandeis failed to score again en route to the 2-1 loss.The Judges will square off against the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on the road tomorrow at 3 p.m. and then resume conference play Saturday at 1:30 p.m at home against Case Western Reserve University.
(09/16/08 4:00am)
With the score tied at one in the 87th minute, the men's soccer team appeared to be headed for overtime against Babson College last Wednesday. But that was before forward Ben Premo '09 received a long pass from midfielder Alex Zenerovitz '10 and took care of the rest. Premo boxed out his defender to gain possession, dribbled to the goal line just right of the net and put the slightest touch on the ball, lobbing it over the extended arms of Babson rookie keeper Peter Crowley into the opposite corner of the net to give the Judges a 2-1 lead in an eventual 3-1 victory."To be honest, I was hoping it'd just hit off the keeper and go in, but it worked out perfectly," Premo said. "I knew I had the option of putting a little topspin on it and putting it in, but I didn't know if my angle was good enough, so I just swung and tried to put it in the side corner, and it did."Forward Alex Farr '12 added an insurance goal just over two minutes later for the final margin, as Brandeis improved its season record to 3-1. The Judges also hosted Colby-Sawyer College last night, but the match ended too late for this edition. After a scoreless first half, Babson broke through in the 47th minute when its all-time leading scorer, senior forward Tim Winn, scored his fifth goal of the season by maneuvering past multiple defenders into the goal box for a point-blank shot that got past goalie Sean O'Hare's '12 dive. The Judges answered in the 56th minute when midfielder Corey Bradley '10 drew a foul in the box that resulted in a penalty kick. Midfielder Patrick Metelus '10 took the shot, converting his fourth goal of the season. Premo's and Farr's goals put the Judges ahead for good, turning around what coach Michael Coven felt was a disappointing loss against Clark University Sept. 6. "After the Clark game, [Coven] challenged us and reminded us that Brandeis soccer is about pride, passion and heart," Premo said. "At halftime I told the team that we needed to show Coach that we can play with pride and passion and show him what we're made of. In the second half we got down a goal, but no one panicked like last game."Coven also commended the Judges' effort, saying it was one of the best games he has seen his team play in years."We finally got it today. This is what [assistant coach Gabe Margolis] and I have been trying to do since preseason, and they really did it today," Coven said. "It was the best soccer that we've played in the last four or five years."O'Hare, who played the entire game in goal for the Judges, collected three saves in his first full collegiate game. In the first three games of the season, O'Hare split time with last year's first-string goalkeeper, Taylor Bracken '10, but was given the starting job last Wednesday in light of his performance in practice during the week."Right now, Sean O'Hare is our starting goalkeeper, but anything could change," Coven said. "We have three good goalkeepers. I spoke to [Bracken], who was supportive and great about it, and Matt Lynch '11 is breathing down both their necks, so we'll take it one game at a time like we always have."Midway through the second half, O'Hare saved a hard shot from junior midfielder Dan Fogarty to preserve a 1-1 tie. Fogarty had a clear path to the net after getting past the Judges' defense, but O'Hare positioned himself in front of the shot to deflect it off of his chest and away from the net."This was the first time I've been put under pressure in a college atmosphere," O'Hare said. "It's different and more intense, but it feels good. I was a little jittery at times and don't feel I played to my potential today, but I'm glad to get the win."Brandeis next competes at Worcester Polytechnic Institute tomorrow at 7 p.m. and then at Newbury College Monday at 3:30 p.m.
(09/09/08 4:00am)
In a final effort to tie the score against Clark University last Saturday, forward Ben Premo '09 received a lead pass from one of his midfielders with less than 10 seconds remaining in the game. Yet as time expired and Premo stood just outside the 18-yard box, he was called for a foul, the game's 49th infraction. The undefeated Cougars held on to win 2-1 and hand Brandeis its first loss of the season. The Judges' record fell to 2-1 after recording two consecutive shutouts to open the season, including a win against the Wentworth Institute of Technology last Thursday. Coach Mike Coven knew that Clark would be the team's first true test of the season. "We beat two teams that were athletic and ran well, but they weren't really good soccer teams," Coven said. "[Clark] was a good soccer team, and we couldn't handle it. "They wanted the game more and were passionate, and there was enthusiasm there that we didn't have. It's very, very disappointing." Brandeis started off strong against Clark, scoring just over 14 minutes into the game to take a 1-0 lead. Defender Matt Hohmann '11 led Premo up the middle with a lob pass into the box, but Premo was pulled down from behind, resulting in a penalty kick for the Judges. Forward Patrick Metelus '10 converted the kick for his third goal of the season. Clark cashed in on a penalty kick of its own just six minutes later, when sophomore Baran Doenmez sent the ball towards the bottom right of the net past diving goalkeeper Taylor Bracken '10. In the 72nd minute, the Cougars broke the 1-1 tie when senior forward Jenner Alpern sent a ball behind the Brandeis defense to rookie midfielder Adrian Blackadar, who dribbled in on net and fired a shot past goalkeeper Sean O'Hare '12, who had taken over for Bracken at the start of the second half. "Both our [goalies] played well," Coven said. "On the second goal one of our midfielders got beat, and [Blackadar] got in there and took a good shot. Nobody's going to save that shot; it wasn't the goalkeeper's fault." With just under 10 seconds remaining, Premo committed the Judges' 19th foul of the half in a game that saw 49 total fouls and four yellow cards. The physical play and battles among players made for a busy day for head official Gus St. Silva. "This was as intense as a Division III matchup could be," Silva said. "It's a rivalry game that dates back 30 years. As the temperature of the game goes up, the referee has to step up and caution here and caution there, and in the end we have a good game." Coven did not complain about the officiating but noted that his team did not react well to the calls made on the field. "We didn't show a lot of character today," he said. "Whether the officiating is good or bad, we win or lose with class and dignity, and some of our players didn't do that today." Captain and midfielder Kevin Murphy '09 said Saturday's loss may end up being a blessing in disguise. "This could be the best thing for us," he said. "A loss sometimes puts your head on straight, and this brings us back down to earth after starting 2-0. Hopefully we can climb our way up to being a winning team again and not lose another one." The Judges started out the week with a 2-0 win over Wentworth last Thursday. Metelus and defender Kyle Gross '11 scored just over five minutes apart from each other in the first half to give the Judges a two-goal lead they would never relinquish. O'Hare, who once again split time with Bracken in goal, was forced to make the only save of the game for Brandeis on a shot by sophomore midfielder Austin Ludwig that O'Hare stopped by leaping and diving to his right. "I was a little jealous he made the only save of the game," Bracken said jokingly after the victory. "But I don't mind being bored because that means our team is doing well." The Judges finish off the home stand with two games this week, including one tomorrow against Babson College at 7:30 p.m and another Monday against Colby-Sawyer College at 7 p.m.
(09/02/08 4:00am)
The men's soccer team was able to temporarily quell any lingering doubts about its offensive attack early in its season opener against Endicott College at home last Saturday.Last season, the Judges scored a total of only 26 goals, never topping the three-goal plateau in any individual contest, but they began this season scoring two goals in the first 10 minutes of play en route to a 5-0 shutout of the Gulls. Forward Ben Premo '09 led the way with his fourth career hat trick, notching his 29th, 30th, and 31st career goals along with his 81st career point, making him the eighth-highest scorer in team history. He has already eclipsed his two-goal season total from 2007. Premo's first goal came just 3 minutes, 52 seconds into the match when he received a header from rookie midfielder Luke Teece '12 and shot the ball past Endicott rookie goalie Nicholas Allman into the back left side of the net.Teece recorded his second assist less than five minutes later when he pushed the ball up the right side before feeding midfielder Patrick Metelus '10 with a pass that Metelus placed inside the near post to give the Judges the early two-goal lead."It's good to get off to a solid start and win like that," Teece said. "The first goal I set up was a halfway decent pass that was fortunate enough to get in, and then the second one was just hard work down the line. I just whipped it over and hoped for the best, and [Metelus] was there and he put it in."Premo's re-emergence continued early in the second half. Less than four minutes in, midfielder Corey Bradley '10 centered a ball for Premo off the left side. Premo fired off the crossbar but then headed in his own rebound to put the Judges ahead 3-0.Premo secured the hat trick in the 73rd minute when he got behind the defense and struck the ball into the back of the net. Rookie forward Alex Farr '12 was credited with the Judges' second goal in the 82nd minute."It feels good to start off like this," Premo said. "We're more enthusiastic about the season. Everyone's ready to go, and our energy is real high right now, along with our confidence."Coach Mike Coven spoke highly of Premo and his senior captain's improved supporting cast after the game."When you've got Premo and Teece and Bradley providing him with chances to score, and Metelus behind him, that makes up a solid offensive group," Coven said, "We could've scored three or four more with a little more luck. Their goalie made some good saves."Still, Coven believed the Judges need more work on the defensive end. "We made some mistakes in the back, and I feel a lot of other teams that we play this year would have capitalized on those opportunities," he said. Coming into the season opener, it was unclear who would be the Judges' starting goalkeeper. Brandeis began the game with last year's starter Taylor Bracken '10 in net, but replaced him in the second half with Sean O'Hare '12, despite Bracken's scoreless first half. Bracken and O'Hare each made two saves as Endicott was only able to take seven shots the entire game, compared to Brandeis' 22. Coven said he wants to get both goalkeepers in-game experience and will turn to his coaching staff to make a final decision. He also did not rule out the possibility of Matt Lynch '11 getting more playing time and said he might continue with a goalie rotation."I think they're both neck-and-neck, and Lynch is breathing down both of their necks. I'd prefer not to do this all season, but we'll take it one game at a time and see what happens," he said.While Coven acknowledged that the Judges made their share of miscues, he was satisfied with last Saturday's opener."Even though we played poorly at times and made some mistakes in the back we still shut [Endicott] out," he said. "Our goalies made some good saves, and this whole team should feel good about themselves. We have 18 more to go, but I can sleep easy tonight."The team plays at home against both the Wentworth Institute of Technology Thursday, Sept. 4 at 4 p.m. and Clark University Saturday, Sept. 6 at 1 p.m.
(08/26/08 4:00am)
An early start to the preseason and a different approach may be exactly what the men's soccer team needs to get started on the right foot this season as it looks to rebound from last year's disappointing 8-9-3 record. The Judges started training for the 2008 season a full two weeks before their Aug. 30 home opener against Endicott College, giving the team an extra week to prepare for the upcoming season. In years past, the University has only allowed for the team to begin practice around the same time as first-year orientation, but this year granted coach Michael Coven's Judges the opportunity to get on the field earlier. "I think we'll be ahead of the game this year," Coven said. "We'll be better prepared just because we've been together longer. I'm pleased so far. The boys are working hard and are in good shape. There's a tremendous amount of enthusiasm." Heading into last season, the Judges were looking to defend their 2006 Eastern College Athletic Conference Championship, but Brandeis fell to below .500 and went 0-6-1 in the University Athletic Association. Coming off a weaker 2007 season, Coven said the team is motivated to turn things around, led by senior captains Ben Premo '09, Adam Guttman '09 and Kevin Murphy '09. "Our returning players are dedicated to having a wonderful year, and we're very strong in general," Coven said. "They've worked hard all year, and we have great captains and great leaders. I'm enthusiastic and optimistic." A lack of proficiency on offense, particularly from all-UAA forward Ben Premo, contributed to last year's struggles. Premo led the team in scoring during its ECAC Championship run two seasons ago with 16 goals and 42 points but was hindered by an injured ankle and a weaker supporting cast last season, finishing with only two goals and nine total points."Individually I struggled a lot [last season]," Premo said. "The first couple games I wasn't really scoring at all, and it kind of got into my head and led to a rollercoaster of bad games, and I never really put it together."The team as a whole managed only 26 goals in 20 games, an average of just 1.3 per contest.This year, however, Coven expects Premo and the offense to thrive with the help of returning players such as Jamie Batista '10, Alex Ball '09 and Pat Metelus '10, who Coven said has improved greatly after taking off his sophomore season."Last year Premo wasn't surrounded with the great offensive players he was two years ago. This year we have players that can set him up with the right passes and give him opportunities to score," Coven said.The Judges made up for their struggles on offense with a defense that held opponents to only 1.35 goals per game, allowing one goal or fewer in 12 games. However, Brandeis lost all three of its starting defensemen-Brett Fitzgerald '08, Joe Levitan '08 and David Weinstein '08- to graduation, forcing Coven and the Judges to adjust.Without the experience in the backfield, the Judges will start four defensemen instead of three, thus losing a midfielder and potentially weakening the offensive attack. "We had three senior backs, and that was a luxury," Coven said. "We're going to play four backs who don't yet have the experience. If we can get that continuity with three of the four we can play three in the back again, but for now we're doing this. It'll hurt the attack, but this is what we have to do. I'd rather be safe."Though the team is inexperienced, Coven is excited about his rookies and said four or five of them could potentially start. Among them are midfielder Evan Ersing '12 and Luke Teece '12, whose father Mark Teece captained the Judges under Coven in the 1980s.While goaltending was also a strength last season, first-year Sean O'Hare is making a strong push for the stating job over last year's starter Taylor Bracken '10. Matt Lynch '11 is also vying for the position, creating a tough decision for the Brandeis coaching staff."Bracken is being pushed by O'Hare and Lynch, and right now it's a three-man race," Coven said. "I have a week to decide, but it's a great and competitive race, and all three are doing well."Coven hopes the team can succeed knowing expectations within the conference are lower-the team is ranked eighth out of eight teams in the preseason UAA coaches poll-after coming off a losing season in 2007."The UAA is the most competitive conference in the country." Coven said, "We're going in as the underdog, but hopefully we'll surprise some teams.
(04/08/08 4:00am)
With her first-set victory a distant memory, Colleen Donnelly '08 faced a match point trailing 5-3 in the third set of her No. 2 singles match against Tufts University sophomore Meghan McCooey. McCooey's shot skipped off the net tape and bounced twice onto Donnelly's side, clinching McCooey's comeback.Donnelly's 2-6, 6-1, 6-3 defeat broke a 2-2 tie in the women's tennis team's 5-2 loss to No. 12 Tufts last Saturday, which put the Judges at 8-5 on the season, including a 9-0 sweep of Roger Williams University last Thursday. "I was very aggressive in the first set and then she started returning more of my balls, and was serving better," Donnelly said. "I was just getting frustrated, and then in the third set I just made a couple too many errors."The men's team lost at home to No. 23 Trinity College 7-1 last Saturday and at No. 14 Amherst College 8-1 last Sunday, dropping its record to 6-7 this spring.Donnelly wasn't the only women's tennis player to fall after winning the first set. At No. 3 singles, Gabrielle Helfgott '09 took the first set against Tufts sophomore Erica Miller 2-6, but then let the next two slip away, eventually losing 2-6, 6-3, 6-4. Those two loses came when the Judges and Jumbos were tied at two after Donnelly and Rachel Rosman'11 defeated the pairing of senior Andrea Cenko and junior Mari Homma 8-3 at No. 1 doubles and Rosman won at No. 1 singles against rookie Julia Browne 6-4, 6-3. "That was a crucial point in the match," coach Ben Lamanna said. "They're almost ready to overcome in a real big match and they're getting close. It's never good to get beat on your own courts but the women are due for a big win. They're going to get it."On the men's side, No. 1 singles player Simon Miller missed both matches this week after injuring his ankle against the University of Rochester March 29, but hopes to return in time for Saturday's home match against New York University. Alex Neystat '10 is out for the year with a knee injury, while David Silver '11 also missed the match against Amherst. In their last three matches, all defeats, the Judges have used three different starting lineups."Everyone seems to be dinged up whether it's resting this or icing that but I guess it's just that time of year," Lamanna said. "Guys like Seth [Rogers '10], Mayur [Kasetty '11], and Dor [Almog '11] are all getting better and are going to be great players. They're young though and are not going to win against an Amherst right now."Steven Nieman '11, normally the No. 2 singles player, picked up the Judges' only victory in the loss to Amherst, defeating fellow rookie and New York native Sean Doerfler 7-5, 6-1, but aside from Neiman's victory, the Judges were unable to pick up a set in the five remaining singles matches and combined to only take five games among their three doubles matches. Even with the injuries, Lamanna was disappointed with the Judges' effort the day before at home against Trinity. The loss was Brandeis' first on its home indoor courts since a 4-3 defeat against Bentley College in the fall of 2005."These are our courts, we haven't lost here on the men's side in three years. We expected to win." Lamanna said. "This is a team that's not ready to win right now. It's they're own fault and they know that."The Judges only victory came at No. 1 doubles, where Nieman and Scott Schulman '09 defeated Bantam juniors David Yahng and Gautam Samarth 8-4.Nieman came closest to adding another victory in his first match at No. 1 singles this season, but fell just short in a third set tiebreaker against Trinity sophomore Spencer Feldman. Nieman fought off five match points on his serve when he was trailing 5-4, winning the game on a backhand winner after five deuces, but in the tiebreaker, Feldman won four of the five points off of Nieman's serve and eventually won the match 5-7, 6-3, 7-6(1)."That would've been a huge win for me," Nieman said. "He played real well in big points but I know it was a big step for me. For the most part I'm happy with the way I played."Both the men's and women's team will face New York University at home this weekend, with the men playing Saturday at 11 a.m. and the women Sunday at the same time. The men's team defeated the Violets to earn fifth place in the UAA last year.The women will first play Wellesley College at home Thursday at 3:30 p.m.
(04/01/08 4:00am)
In the opening minutes of the men's rugby team's match against Connecticut College last Friday, left wing Sean Lasoff '10 broke his nose battling for possession in a pack of players. One minute after Lasoff's injury, Connecticut scored a try, equivalent to a touchdown in football, and kicked a goal, opening a 7-0 lead and never looking back. Brandeis eventually lost the game 27-0 for its first defeat this season, but team members remained optimistic."The team's performance was a little inconsistent. I would have liked to see more field mentality, but it was a pretty good showing," forward and captain Ben Rotstein '09 said. Brandeis gave up 22 points in the first half, but only allowed five points in the second half, substituting different defenders into the game regularly. The team did this despite playing the final five minutes with one fewer player than Connecticut after tighthead prop Nate Goldstein '09 got a yellow card for tackling a player above the shoulders. Offensively, Brandeis struggled to advance the ball, as the team was consistently unable to transfer the ball up the field in good offensive positions. Even though the team did not score, coach Justin Hopson lauded blindside flanker Stanley Chen '10. "[Chen] had a phenomenal game both offensively and defensively. He had several great runs and some phenomenal tackles," Hopson said. As the game continued, Hopson expanded the typical player rotation to ensure that new members were able to compete in the game. Rotstein said the spring season is a chance to groom new players for the more competitive fall schedule. "Spring season is all exhibition. [During the first half of the game], we play more legit, but [during] the second half we just make sure that everyone cycles in and that everyone understands the game mentality and strategy," Rotstein said.As the team continues to develop its new players, Hopson emphasized the need to build chemistry. "We need to play together and practice together. It comes down to an issue of people picking to play a team sport or an individual sport. You need to make that dedication to that team sport," Hopson said. The team plays in a doubleheader against Curry College and Champlain College in Milton, Mass. next Sunday.
(04/01/08 4:00am)
Early in a match against Northeastern University's B team, Elliot Shriner-Cahn '10, a member of the B-team of Tron, the Brandeis men's Ultimate Frisbee club, threw a pass toward Josh Mandell '11 that hung in the air due to the strong wind. Eventually, the disc came straight down, where the alert Mandell caught it for a score. "The throws are so much harder [in the wind]," Shriner-Cahn said. "When it's windy and the weather's not so great, it becomes more important that we play to our system and keep our throws shorter and better."Amid the howling winds that made the flight of the disc unpredictable, ultimate squads from 10 different schools took part in the Brandeis "B-Fest" Tournament across campus last Saturday. The Brandeis squad went 2-2 in preliminary play, defeating Bentley College 10-8 and Northeastern 10-2 while losing to Yale University 10-6 and Boston College 10-7 before winning its playoff game after Brown University's C team forfeited. "We play in a bad-weather region, so a lot of the time most of the tournaments that we're used to are bad weather, whether it be wind or cold or precipitation," said Avraham Wachs-Cashman '08, a captain on the Tron A team and a coach of the B team.In ultimate Frisbee, teams consist of seven members, and a goal is scored when a player catches the disc in the end zone. In this tournament, the pool games were played to 13 points and the playoff games were to 15, but each game also had a time limit of 1 hour, 20 minutes. If a game reaches the final 15 minutes, a soft cap is called, meaning the first team to score one more point than the leading team's score at the time wins the match. In the final five minutes, a hard cap is called, and the team leading after the end of the current possession wins the match, unless the game is tied, in which case one more point is played.This tournament was composed of eight B teams and two C teams which were divided into two pools of five teams each. After each squad played every team in its pool, it played the team in the other pool that finished in the same place in the standings.Tron never trailed in its match against Northeastern, scoring four goals before Northeastern got on the scoreboard. Northeastern would only score one other goal in the match, and Tron won when Jeff Horowitz '10 caught a long pass in the end zone in the final 15 minutes."I was really impressed with how everyone played," Shriner-Cahn said. "People played up to and probably beyond their abilities."Tron also outlasted crosstown rival Bentley, winning 10-8 after a soft cap was called. Both of Tron's losses were close defeats. In its loss to Boston College, Tron tied the game at seven, but BC scored three straight goals, the last two after a soft cap was called, to clinch a 10-7 victory. Tron's loss to Yale also went to a soft cap.Wachs-Cashman said the team's defensive adjustments, in light of the conditions, were key to its performance."We do have specific defenses made for [the wind]," he said. "One of the defenses that we threw today that worked really well was a zone defense."For players like Shriner-Cahn, the two wins were especially satisfying, considering they were the B team's first wins since of the fall 2006 season. Because there are so few B team tournaments in the Boston area, Tron's B team is often forced to play the usually stronger A-teams from other schools."We've just had a culture of losing the whole time we've been here," Sean Petterson '11 said. "So once we get the first win, you kind of believe in yourselves a lot more, and you start expecting to win games rather than hoping not to lose them." The A team next plays in the Yale Cup next Friday and Saturday, while the B team next plays in the Lemony Spring Tournament in Warwick, R.I. April 12 and 13 at 9 a.m. each day. Both teams will then compete in the Metro Boston Open Sectionals April 19 and 20 in Lancaster, Mass.
