The Justice

Media Credit: David Sheppard-Brick Jaime Batista '10 fights to maintain possession of the ball last Thursday against Springfield College.

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.

Continued...

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