Bwog recommends giant flags to make visiting teams really feel the Baker Field pressure

Sports Sunday returns for another edition of athletic journalism. This week featured a number of Ivy League match-ups. A choice stat from the week: all the home teams won, while CU’s away teams all lost at least one of their road games. Home court advantage… Could it be?

Women’s Soccer (4-5):

Latest Result: Lions hold on in second half to beat Brown (6-3-1) 2-1

Overview: The Lions advanced to 2-0 in the Ivy League on Saturday after a pair of first half goals from freshman Alex Yow. Dominating the field from the opening whistle, the Lions tallied their first goal just ten minutes in as Yow beat her defender at the top of the box and placed a shot nicely in the far corner of the Bears’ net. Nine minutes later Yow struck again, this time off a cross from senior Ashlin Yahr. Yow’s header flick finish put the Lions up 2-0 midway through the first half. In the second half, the Bears gained traction and put pressure on the Lions, scoring a looping shot over the from a long cross in the 72nd minute. Strong defense from junior Isabel King and solid goalkeeping from senior captain Lillian Kathryn kept the Lions alive through regulation.

Highlights: Freshman Alex Yow was a breakout star in the Ivy League match-up, leading the Lions in goals and shots. Bwog predicts Ivy League Rookie of the Week honors for the little freshie.

Upcoming Contest: The Lions travel to Lehigh (3-5-1) on Monday and return home for an Ivy League match-up against Penn (7-2-0) on Friday at 7pm

Men’s Soccer (4-5-1):

Latest Result: Lions pick up third overtime win of the season against Brown (5-4) in Ivy League opener 2-1

Overview: After a frustrating loss earlier in the week, the Lions returned to Columbia Soccer Stadium on Saturday to open Ivy League play, down two players thanks to red cards in Tuesday’s match against Seton Hall (5-5-2). After a scoreless and hard-fought first half, the Lions were the first to get on the board in the second half with a header finish from sophomore Henning Sauerbier after senior Francios Anderson’s shot rebounded off the left post. The Bears were quick to recover, however, slotting the ball past the Lions’ keeper from the top of the box just nine minutes later after a free kick. From there the game remained scoreless until double overtime when junior Quentin Grigsby’s cross found senior captain Mike Mazzullo at the far side of the 18 yard box. Mazzullo’s header beat the keeper at the far post, and junior Will Stamatis rushed in to finish the game winning goal.

Highlights: Some of the Men’s Soccer team wasn’t even born the last time Columbia beat Brown back in 1992. This game also marks the Lions’ third overtime win of the season and Will Stamatis’ third overtime game-winning goal.

Upcoming Contest: The Lions look to remain undefeated in the Ivy League against Penn (5-3-1) next Saturday at 4pm at Columbia Soccer Stadium

Field Hockey (3-4):

Latest Result: Lions fall to Princeton (4-5) in double overtime 3-2

Overview: In Saturday’s road match-up against Ivy League rival Princeton, the Tigers went up early with a goal at the 12:08 mark. The Lions answered with two goals late in the first half, the first from junior Gabby Kozlowski and the second just two minutes later from junior Paige Simmons off of a corner. Up 2-1 with just minutes left in the first half, the Lions gave up a corner and Princeton capitalized, scoring 20 seconds before the break. After a scoreless and exhausting second half, the Tigers put the game away in double overtime on a goal off a corner push.

Highlights: A double overtime loss is about as painful as it gets in the sports world. But don’t blame the goalie! Lions goalie Christie O’Hara tallied nine saves and weathered 23 Princeton shots and 20 corners.

Upcoming Contest: The Lions face Rutgers (3-7) today at home at 1pm

Football (0-3):

Latest Result: Lions narrowly lose to Princeton (1-2) in Ivy League opener 24-21

Overview: On the road against Princeton on Saturday, the Lions snapped a two game winning streak against the Tigers in this close loss. In the first quarter, Princeton got on the board first with a field goal on its first possession, but the Lions’ defense came through later in the quarter when senior A.J. Maddox intercepted a pass and ran it back for his first career touchdown. After Princeton reclaimed the lead at the late in the first quarter and scored again to begin the second half, Columbia’s Maddox once again came up big, recovering a fumble at the Princeton 47 and returning it to the Princeton 28. Quarterback Sean Bracket found senior Paul Havas just one play later to narrow the deficit to 14-17 midway through the third quarter.  Despite an 85 yard drive in the fourth quarter resulting in a touchdown, the Lions were unable to make up the difference, falling to the Tigers 24-21.

Highlights: Senior A.J. Maddox had a standout game with 10 tackles, a fumble recovery, and an interception for a touchdown.

Upcoming Contest: The Lions return home on Saturday to take on Sacred Heart (2-2) at 12:30pm at Robert K. Kraft Field

Volleyball (8-5):

Latest Result: The Lions beat Brown (5-9) on Friday 3-1 in their second Ivy League match-up before falling to Yale (9-4) on Saturday 2-3

Overview: In the first of a pair of road contests this weekend, the Lions took on Brown, rallying after dropping the first set to win the next three. Junior Meghan Gaughn led the Lions with 19 kills, while sophomore Charlee Dyroff tallied 22 digs and sophomore Savannah Fletcher had a career-high 11 total blocks, which tied for second most all time. The win advanced the Lions to 2-0 in the Ivy League. On Saturday, the Lions traveled to Yale to end the weekend of Ivy League play. Once again, the Lions had to make up an early deficit, this time dropping the first two sets before coming back to win a close third set 25-20 and dominating the fourth 25-13. However, in the forced fifth set, the Bulldogs edged out the Lions 15-13 despite an early lead.

Highlights: Even with the loss to Yale, Volleyball is still the winningest team on campus at 8-5. Yeah, Bwog used ‘winningest.’ Again.

Upcoming Contest: The Lions return home for another pair of Ivy League contests next weekend, first against Princeton (10-5) on Friday at 7pm and then against Penn (5-8) on Saturday at 5pm

Fervent fanaticism via Wikimedia Commons