Columbia Unbeaten, Downs Army 2-0

The women's soccer team put on an impressive performance on both sides of the ball Tuesday night when defeating Army 2-0. The offense found the net multiple times for the second game in a row, while the defense extended its shutout streak to over 280 minutes.

Senior Aubrey Medal gave the Lions the lead in the 23rd minute with a little help from the wet weather conditions. Fellow senior Bailey Schroeder headed an on-target corner kick that Army goalkeeper Rebecca Garcia appeared to save. Garcia, however, could not find the handle on the wet ball and dropped it into a crowd in the six-yard box. After a brief but wild scramble, Medal tapped the ball across the line for her first goal of the season. Schroeder was credited with an assist on the play.

The Lions carried the 1-0 lead through halftime with strong defensive play by the midfield and a couple of timely saves by junior goalkeeper Allison Vespa. In the 51st minute, they doubled the lead on a perfectly executed set piece.

After an Army foul, senior Meghan Hurlbut curled a free kick across the box from a few yards to the right of the Army penalty area finding the head of Emma Judkins, who smashed a 15-yard header past a stunned Garcia.

The Light Blue held the Black Knights for the remainder of the game by controlling possession in the midfield and thwarting their attacks 30 or 40 yards out of goal.

Vespa played a solid game between the sticks for the Lions, making four saves in the clean sheet. Her best save came in the second minute, when she stopped a point-blank shot at the left post.

Head coach Kevin McCarthy was extremely pleased with the team's effort, especially given the weather conditions and its recent schedule.

"I think our team could take great satisfaction in that we outplayed and out-tackled [Army]," he said. McCarthy went on to note that his team had every chance to tire out after three games in six days but still dominated the second half against a team that was coming off of four days' rest.

The win, McCarthy's 100th as head coach, boosted the Lions' record to 2-0-1. Army fell to 2-2 with the loss.

The Lions will attempt to extend their unbeaten streak to four games this Friday, when they travel to St. John's.