Lions run over Manhattan 4-0 with Reiser’s hat trick

Behind an explosive offense, the Columbia women’s soccer team blanked Manhattan on Friday for the second year in a row. Back in 2008, the Lions beat the Jaspers 2-0. Columbia (1-2-0) found the back of the net four times on this weekend en route to its first victory of 2009.

“That’s the kind of game that we expect to play,” head coach Kevin McCarthy said. “It’s another positive step forward, and we scored some great goals.”
Columbia did not score in its season opener against Washington and managed only one goal toward the end of the second period against Portland. In just the fourth minute of play against Manhattan (2-3-0), however, junior defender Kelly Hostetler tallied her first career goal for the Lions.

While denting the scoreboard early is a step in the right direction for Columbia’s offense, McCarthy does not believe that the goal was entirely beneficial for his team.

“To be honest, we sort of flattened out after that,” he said. “It was nice, but I think that affected our urgency to a certain degree.”
The Lions did not score again until the 44th minute of play, when junior defender Lauren Cooke sent a free kick toward senior forward Sophie Reiser. Reiser directed the ball into the net for her first goal of the season, and Columbia regained its sense of immediacy on the pitch.
Less than three minutes into the second half, Reiser struck again with a high-arcing shot that sailed over the Manhattan goalkeeper off an assist from sophomore forward Ashlin Yahr. By the 65th minute of play, Reiser had notched the second hat-trick of her career. Sophomore midfielder Nora Dooley fired a pass up to junior forward Chrissy Butler, which found Butler on the left side of the field in Manhattan territory. Butler then sent a cross from the endline that reached Reiser in front of the Manhattan goal. Perfectly positioned to score, Reiser did not disappoint.

“If I wasn’t there, it was going to be someone else,” Reiser said of her accomplishment. “Every goal was a huge team effort. There was no individual that really could have done it on their own.”

“Sophie was dynamic and knows to be in the right place, but those three made a beautiful goal,” McCarthy said. “It really was the team play, and Sophie’s a great finisher.”

Reiser has now netted a total of 22 career goals, which puts her in a three-way tie for fourth place in the Columbia record books. Former Lions Dana Cassara, CC ’98, and Shannon Munoz, CC ’07, both scored 22 times in their Columbia careers, while Tosh Forde, CC ’99, holds the record with 30 goals.

The Lions continue nonconference play on Tuesday night against Iona. Kick-off against the Gaels is set for 7 p.m.