BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. -- (taken from an MMA press release) -- Brandeis University men's soccer junior midfielder Noah Gans (Newton, Mass./Newton South) scored two goals in a span of just over five minutes to give the Judges a 3-0 non-conference victory over Mass Maritime Academy today. With the win, Brandeis improves to 7-2-4, while the Buccaneers fall to 2-9-3.
Brandeis's first goal came on a free kick at the start of the 11th minute. Ganz set up left of goal, 25 yards out and rolled one past the wall and MMA sophomore goalkeeper John Hardy to put the Judges up 1-0. Just under six minutes later, Gans scored again, this time off of a rebound that fell to his right foot for an open shot which he took advantage of, beating Buccaneer Mitch Hardy to his left to put his team up 2-0. The goals were Gans's second and third of the season and the sixth and seventh of his career. It marked his second career two-goal game, with the previous coming three days shy of exactly two years ago, Oct. 18, 2017, against Clark.
In the 39th minute, the Judges extended their lead to what would be the final, 3-0. Going down in the book as an own goal, sophomore Sammy Guttell (Brookline, Mass./Brookline) took a shot on goal and, attempting to clear the ball over his own net, Maritime midfielder AJ Bubencik unfortunately put the ball into the back of the net for the own goal.
The second half went back and forth with neither team finding the back of the net again. Brandeis senior goalkeeper Greg Irwin (Passaic, N.J./Seton Hall Prep) did not face a shot on goal in the first half in the victory. In relief of Irwin was rookie Aiden Guthro (Newburyport, Mass./Newburyport) to begin the second half. Following Guthro in to the game, sophomore Max Blacker (Scotch Plains, N.J./St. Benedict's Prep) played the final 19 minutes. Blacker faced the lone Buc shot of the night, making the save. Hardy had two saves and allowed three goals in the first half, while John Murphy had two stops for the home team in the second. Brandeis outshot MMA, 16-4, for the contest and had a 4-1 edge in corner kicks.
Brandeis returns to University Athletic Association action on Friday evening at 7:30 p.m. when the Judges play host to the fifth-ranked University of Chicago Maroons.