WALTHAM, Mass. – The Case Western Reserve University men's soccer team kept No. 9 nationally-ranked Brandeis University (Mass.) in check during the opening 45 minutes, but a pair of second-half goals proved to be the difference in a 2-0 loss during University Athletic Association play on Saturday afternoon at Gordon Field. 

The Spartans fall to 3-8-1 overall and 0-2 in the UAA. The team stays on the road and will continue conference play at Emory University (Ga.) on Friday, October 12. Kickoff in Atlanta is set for 7:30 p.m.

In the opening half, Brandeis held an 8-4 edge in the shot column, but Case senior goalkeeper Ryan Koepka (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township) had a pair of saves and kept the match scoreless headed into the break.

Out of the intermission, Brandeis wasted little time getting on the board when Sam Ocel scored for the Judges in the 50th minute on assists from Tyler Savonen and Foti Andreo. Following Ocel's goal, Case kept the pressure on the nationally-ranked hosts with a trio of shots spanning the next 10 minutes of play.

However, the Judges put the match away via a score from Steve Salazar in the 72nd minute on a helper from Tudor Livadaru.

Between the pipes, Koepka slipped to 2-7-1 for the fall and finished with four saves, while the Judges' Blake Minchoff (11-0-1) tallied three stops.

Statistically, Brandeis held a slight 14-12 edge in shots, and also produced a 5-2 advantage in corner kicks.