Men's Soccer Earns Second Draw In Ivy League Play, But Fails To Find Success Against La Salle

Upper West Side NY

28 October, 2021

1:10 PM

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Columbia Daily Spectator BY TAKASHI WILLIAMS AND CALEB DYE OCTOBER 27, 2021 Men's soccer's 10 game winless streak rose to 12 after not being able to pull off a victory against Dartmouth or La Salle University in a busy four days for the Light Blue. Saturday night, the Light Blue (1-8-4, 0-2-2 Ivy) let a late lead against Dartmouth (2-9-1, 0-3-1 Ivy) slip away in the final seconds and ended the match in a draw. Tuesday night, Columbia ventured outside of the Ivy League to play La Salle (5-10-0) and were dealt a devastating 1-4 loss. Coming into their fourth match of conference play, the Light Blue hoped to secure its first win against an Ivy League opponent after two losses and a draw. Dartmouth also looked to secure its first win in Ivy League play after losing its first three Ivy League matches. While both teams missed many opportunities for a goal in the first half, the Light Blue was first to score in the 38th minute. First-year forward Ryan Kipness stepped up to throw the ball into play, and was able to place the ball in the perfect spot for first-year forward Adrian Wheaton-Schopp to put the Lions on the board. The Lions found themselves up 1-0 entering the second half, just 45 minutes away from their first Ivy League win. Columbia's defense stayed strong throughout the period, defending 13 shots, with junior goalkeeper Michael Collodi saving four shots on goal. However, the Light Blue's defense was not able to hold on until the end. With only 46 seconds left in the match, the Lions managed to block a shot from outside the box, but they found themselves at the feet of Big Green's Matt Pickering, who then buried it into the back of the net to send the match into overtime. For the third time this season, Columbia was forced into overtime. Less than a minute into the overtime period, a series of hectic headers led to a Dartmouth goal. The Lions looked devastated as it seemed that a 1-0 win had turned into a 2-1 loss in less than two minutes of game time. But after the referees discussed the goal amongst themselves, the play was eventually ruled offside. When overtime play resumed, Dartmouth had complete control of the ball and racked up eight shots while shutting Columbia down completely. However, Columbia's defense was able to shut down all of Dartmouth's overtime opportunities. With neither team able to score in double overtime, they finished the game in a draw, giving the Lions their second Ivy League tie. Collodi ended the match with an impressive 10 saves on the night, with five of those coming from the overtime period. Three days later, the Lions were set to play against La Salle back at home. Early in the match, sophomore forward Will DeNight enforced his attacking presence against the Explorers. Starting in the eighth minute, DeNight drew a foul in a vulnerable area for a free kick. Although it was shot right into the wall, he came back in the ninth minute colliding with the keeper for a loose ball and producing a blocked shot earlier in the 17th minute. The Lions finally broke through with a goal later in the 17th minute. With a great through ball between first-year forward Adrien Wheaton-Schopp to sophomore defenseman Ryan Wallace, another free kick was made for the Lions. With senior defenseman Blake Willis taking the free kick, it deflected off the keeper for Wallace to put home for his first goal of the season. Head coach Kevin Anderson said after the match that the Lions' offense was displaying a style that he appreciated. "I think the guys actually defensively stayed compact," Anderson said. "They got pressure on the ball and pressure in areas of the field that we felt like we could take advantage of, and I think Will [DeNight] was a good example of a guy who did that well." The Lions did not stop there. They attempted four shots in the first half. Collodi finished off the half with two tough saves to secure the lead. One coming from La Salle's senior forward Nigel Buckley in the 33rd minute and earlier in the 14th minute from distance from La Salle's sophomore forward Junior Nare. The tide of the match changed in favor for the Explorers in the second half. Capitalizing off early Columbia errors, La Salle scored two goals and gained the lead only 10 minutes into the second half. The Explorers now found themselves up 2-1. However, Collodi kept the Lions within a one-goal deficit for the majority of the second half with three outstanding one-on-one saves during the 73rd minute. He finished the match with six saves. The Light Blue even created some chances with first-year forward Paolo Primavera having two shots on goal from the box. Unfortunately for the Lions, the Explorers finally broke through with two goals from Buckley in the last 10 minutes of the game, securing his first career hat trick and handing the Lions' their eighth loss of the season. Seeking their first win in 12 games, the Lions will host Yale on Oct. 30. Kickoff will take place at Rocco B. Commisso Stadium at 7 p.m.and will be streamed on ESPN+. Staff writer Caleb Dye can be contacted at [email protected]. Staff writer Takashi Williams can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @takashiversace. Follow Spectator Sports on Twitter at @CUSpecSports. Founded in 1877, the Columbia Daily Spectator is the independent undergraduate newspaper of Columbia University, serving thousands of readers in Morningside Heights, West Harlem, and beyond. Read more at columbiaspectator.com and donate here.