Spring Break
MSOCCER: Judges shut out by Rochester
by Ian Cutler
Sports Editor
Sports | 10/7/08
Posted online at 5:19 AM EST on 10/7/08
|
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.
Be the first to comment on this story