CHICAGO – Opportunistic strikes by Brandeis University handed the University of Chicago women's soccer team its first loss of the season by a 3-2 final on Friday.

The No. 9-ranked Maroons dropped to 10-1-2 on the season and 1-1-1 in the University Athletic Association (UAA). The Judges improved to 6-3-2 overall (1-2 UAA).

The visitors jumped ahead early in the eighth minute of the game when Juliette Carreiro ran onto a loose ball on the left wing and chipped the goalkeeper left footed into the top shelf.

UChicago held sway for the next 25 minutes with multiple shots on goal and corner kicks. The offense eventually found the equalizer in the 32nd minute. Junior Hannah Rittenhouse booted a contested ball deep into space on the left wing, which junior Skye Davis chased and corralled near the end line. Her immediate centering pass traversed towards the right post and was deposited into the right corner by senior Nicole Willing.

The score remained 1-1 at halftime. As the Maroons continued to move forward purposefully, it felt like the go-ahead goal was right around the corner. Then in the 56th minute, a Brandeis defender and the goalkeeper converged on a long pass into the box, with the goalie booting an attempted clearance off her teammate. Senior Nicole Kaspi pounced on the loose ball and rolled a left-footed bouncer into the back of the net to make it 2-1 for the home side.

The momentum was short-lived, however. Brandeis made another run up the left wing to the end line before sending a centering ball to the top of the box. The Judges struck an arcing one-timer from 20 yards that tied the game up at 2-2.

Brandeis retook the lead at 3-2 at the 75:27 mark with a powerful 30-yard strike from straight away.

UChicago pressed hard over the final minutes, with their best opportunity coming with 1:35 left. Senior Adriana Shutler boomed a free kick from 35 yards away that was only denied by the leaping goalkeeper who knocked the shot just over the crossbar. The Judges held on from there to get the win.

The final box score saw significant UChicago advantages in shots (18-6) and corner kicks (8-2). Senior goalkeeper Miranda Malone (9-1-2 record) collected one save.

NEXT GAME:

• Sunday, Oct. 17 @ 11:00 AM – New York University at UChicago