After recovering from a loss to Ivy League co-leader Brown, the Lions demolished Penn 2-0.

This was certainly Penn’s game to lose on Saturday, and the Lions were heavily aware of this. Penn (6-3-2) had outscored its opponents 18-10 throughout its first 10 games and had only been held scoreless once. The Lions knew Penn was an offensive powerhouse and made sure to shut down its key players. Columbia (7-4-1) played excellently in the defensive third and effectively limited the Quakers’ goal scoring chances. 

An extremely shaky first half from both teams held the game scoreless until halftime. Misplaced passes, uncalculated shots, and a lack of energy greatly contributed to the scoreline. If either team had an advantage, it was Penn who garnered more shots than the Lions and had a slight edge in ball possession. Despite these factors, the Lions held strong defensively and kept the Quakers quiet. 

Half Time: 0-0 

The Lions gathered themselves at halftime and started the second half extremely strong. Just 10 minutes after the start of the half, Forward Nata Ramirez was fouled inside the eighteen yard box resulting in a penalty kick for the Lions. Ramirez did well and tucked the shot into the bottom left corner giving Columbia a 1-0 lead. The Quakers attempted to storm back after the goal but sent a corner kick wide and gave the Lions possession once again. In the 60th minute, Penn fouled outside the eighteen yard box and handed Columbia a free kick in a dangerous position. Ramirez pounded the ball to Midfielder Sophia Cavaliere who headed the ball past a Quaker defender into the back of the net. The Lions held firm during the remaining 30 minutes and secured a hard-earned and much-needed win.

Full Time: 2-0 Columbia

After the win, the Lions stand in 4th place in Ivy League competition and are tied with Penn (6-3-2), Cornell (3-7-2), and Dartmouth (5-4-1), who all have an Ivy conference record of 1-2. After thrashing Adelphi 6-0 on Tuesday night, Columbia will head to Princeton (9-2-1) for another conference game on Saturday. Following their two game win streak, the Lions are poised to overcome the odds and defeat Princeton. 

Columbia v. Penn via mclt