Saturday night, a torrent of rain soaked Baker Field as the Columbia men’s soccer team faced off against Cornell for its last game of the season. The inclement weather encumbered the players’ vision and slickened ball and grass alike, but the Lions nevertheless stepped up and delivered in front of dozens of die-hard, umbrella-bearing fans.
The first goal of the match was one for the highlight reel. In the 19th minute, leading scorer Bayo Adafin streaked down the left flank after receiving a pass from senior Scott Strickland and hammered one home with a hard, left-footed drive to the far post that soared into the net at a nigh impossible angle.
This goal completely changed the tone of the game, giving the team a much-needed shot in the arm and energizing the home crowd.
Columbia’s defense held firm throughout the half, acting as a veritable wall against Cornell’s strikers. The Lions went into the locker room with a 1-0 lead after 45 minutes.
The second half brought with it even more power and finesse than was seen in the first. The offense and defense were beautifully in sync, working together to baffle the Big Red.
Due to the fact that the ball was slippery, certain moves were difficult for the players to pull off. But this did not hinder Columbia’s offense. Instead, the Light Blue adapted to the situation by confusing the Big Red with an explosion of scissors moves, crossovers, and other feints that do not require players to touch the ball with the bottom of their cleats.
Freshman midfielder Francois Anderson, one of the main players exhibiting such ball-handling, repeatedly faked out Cornell defenders and was able to pull the trigger a number of times. After one such attempt in the 56th minute, the ball deflected off Cornell goalkeeper Steve Lesser, falling right at the feet of Columbia midfielder Pepe Carotenuto. Carotenuto followed through with a powerful rebound, sending the ball straight for the upper ninety and upping the score to a decisive 2-0.
Thus, the Lions ended the season with a bang. The team’s four graduating seniors—Felipe Castrillon, James Pounder, Shaun Rowatt, and Strickland—ended their NCAA careers with a win, and freshman goalkeeper Alex Aurrichio earned his second shutout of the year. After a dry spell of six games, the Lions finally found the redemption they had been seeking.
The Light Blue finished out the 2008 season with an Ivy League record of 2-5 and an overall record of 4-12-1.
In the postgame interview, Anderson said, “With a little determination, the Ivy League championship should be within reach for next year.”
Comments
We're looking for comments that are interesting and substantial. If your comments are excessively self-promotional or obnoxious you will be banned from commenting. Consult the comment FAQ and legal terms.