Golden Goal Gives Men’s Soccer Overtime Win

The men’s soccer team pulled off its second overtime victory of the
season on Sunday, downing the Dartmouth Big Green, 3-2.
Sophomore midfielder Tommy McMenemy scored on a cross from
senior Jon Mycroft four minutes into the overtime period, giving the
Lions the victory and improving their record to 5-3-2 (2-1-1 Ivy).

The game was a teetering affair, with the lead changing hands
three times, although the Lions reclaimed the lead each and every
time.

“We played a solid game all in all,” junior co-captain Mike Ching
said. “It was one of the first games in recent Columbia soccer
history where it was a see-saw battle. Most of our games are
low-scoring affairs, so it’s rare when we score three goals and
they score two.”

The Lions offense obviously found its groove against the Big
Green defenders, with three separate Lions contributing to the
scoring. The first goal of the game foreshadowed an improved
performance by the Lions offense. Midfielder Gui Stampur knocked
a nice ball out to McMenemy, who beat two defenders down the left
side and crossed a crisp pass into junior forward Alex
Berthe-Suarez, who put it in the net. McMenemy was awarded Ivy
League Player of the Week for his efforts against Dartmouth.

“Alex Berthe-Suarez turned on it nicely and drove it past the
keeper,” McMenemy said. “[Sophomore] Gui Stampur knocked a
great ball out to me, and I was able to find Alex.”

Although the Lions offense was hitting on all cylinders, the
defense sputtered on occasion, allowing the Big Green to breach
the Light Blue net. Dartmouth took advantage of a defensive lapse
by Columbia, scoring the second goal of the game easily, only to
watch Columbia answer with the third goal of the match, this one
scored by Stampur, his first of the season.

“It was a long ball that got knocked around in their box, and the
goalie tried to head it clear, and Gui volleyed it back into the net,”
McMenemy said. “It was an awesome shot.”

Stampur and first-year midfielder Stephen Foster complemented
each other throughout the game. With deft dribbling skills and
amazing touch, the two midfielders were able to set their offense
up surprisingly well on Dartmouth’s narrow field.

“This was the second Ivy game in a row where we scored three
goals,” Ching said. “Our offense has had difficulties, but not this
game. We are getting better and better. It was one of the first
games all year where we’ve had a complete roster and didn’t have
to worry about injuries. We finally had everyone back.”

All season long, Lions Head Coach Dieter Ficken has had to
juggle and manipulate his roster in order to accommodate an
unusual amount of injuries to his team. Now with the likes of
seniors Jon Mycroft and Will Murphy healthy, the lineup is
cemented.

“Dieter has really helped us realize that we can all play,”
McMenemy said. “He inspired us when we were not a completely
healthy team, and so it is sweet to be able to give something back
to him, with this victory. He has had so much faith in all of us, and
now we’re starting to have faith in ourselves thanks to him.”

The defensive effort of the Lions wasn’t their prettiest of the year,
but they still won. Their victory, as usual, was due in large part to
the dominance in the net of senior goalie Mike Ewers. Ewers
made 10 saves on the afternoon, including two spectacular ones.

“The two times they scored, they scored because we abandoned
Mike,” Ching said. “But, as always, he played really well back in the
net.”

The Lions’ next test comes this Saturday at Baker Field against an
underrated Yale team, against whom the Lions have not fared well
recently.