The Brandeis University women’s soccer team is off to the NCAA Division 3 Final Four for the first time in program history, thanks to the right foot of senior captain Jessica Morana of Shrewsbury.
The midfielder’s golden goal 1:43 into overtime last Sunday at Brandeis’s Gordon Field enabled the Judges, ranked 23rd nationally, to stun previously undefeated and top-ranked William Smith College, 4-3.
Brandeis (16-4-3) will face eighth-ranked Washington University (17-2-3) in the national semifinals Dec. 2 in Salem, Va. The championship game is Dec. 3.
“Jess’s performance at the end of this season has been incredible. She’s really peaked and her game winner was all grit. She left it all on the field,’’ said Denise Dallamora, the Waltham School’s first and only head women’s soccer coach of 37 seasons and a former three-sport athlete at Framingham North High.
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Dallamora considers Morana, 22, a business and economics major, a great ambassador for the university and her team. “When recruits visit the campus,’’ she said, “Jess really connects with them.’’
At Shrewsbury High, Morana was captain of girls soccer and a track athlete. She sat out her sophomore season at Brandeis after breaking her ankle but returned last year. Her brother, Matthew, is a sophomore on the soccer team at Lehigh University.
Also on the Brandeis roster are sophomore midfielder Sam Volpe of Groton and freshman forward Emma Spector of Needham.
Q. Can you describe your game-winner against William Smith?
A. It was off a free kick from Michaela Friedman . Samantha Schwartz headed the ball, the goalie deflected it and although I was on the ground after being pushed, I dragged the ball forward with my leg and over the line.
Q. What were your emotions?
A. I felt like I was on cloud nine. We deserved to win that game and I was excited to help make history for our program.
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Q. William Smith tied the game with 3.7 seconds to go in regulation. What was the team’s mood going into OT?
A. We were still pumped and even more motivated because we had worked so hard. We were the underdogs but we felt we belonged on the same field with them.
Q. Your record in the University Athletic Association was 2-3-2 including a 2-0 loss at Washington U. Now, after last weekend, how do you assess your chances against them?
A. Whoever wants it more will win. We’ll be the underdog again, but we have a great chance of winning as long as we come out with the energy we showed so far in the tournament.
Q. And it was your birthday weekend, right?
A. Yes, last Saturday, when we beat McDaniel in the Sweet 16. I got to enjoy the day with my family and friends. Winning Sunday was the best birthday present I could have asked for.
Q. Were you concerned after the 2014 season that you might not be able to play soccer again?
A. I was discouraged at first. But the bone healed in eight weeks and by the end of the season I was able to start sprinting and do ball work.
Q. What are your plans after graduation?
A. I’ll return to Brandeis for my Masters in International Economics and Finance. Most likely, the time commitment will keep me from playing soccer, but I have one year of eligibility remaining.
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Q. Can you describe your trip to England earlier this year?
A. I took three classes through the Boston University – London Internship Program from January through April and was also a marketing intern in London at a spinning gym called Psycle. It was the trip of a lifetime.
Q. What is your favorite sports memory while at Shrewsbury High?
A. Our team made it to the state Division 1 final my sophomore year. The game was against Central Catholic and it was played on my 16th birthday. I scored a goal, but unfortunately, we lost, 2-1.
Q. As president of Brandeis’s Student Athlete Advisory Committee, what do you consider your top priority?
A. To make sure that my voice represents all our student -athletes.
Q. Do you remember the first time you kicked a soccer ball?
A. I was five years old with the Shrewsbury Town Team, coached by my dad, David .I loved it right away and I’ve grown to love it even more.
MARVIN PAVE
Marvin Pave can be reached at marvin.pave@rcn.com