Win streak ends for field hockey after facing Big Red in double overtime

The Columbia field hockey team suffered double disappointment this weekend, dropping games to both Cornell and No. 6 Syracuse. The Lions (3-4, 1-1 Ivy) fell to the Big Red in a double-overtime, 2-1 nail-biter before being pummeled 6-0 by the nationally ranked Orange.

Saturday’s matchup against Cornell (7-0, 2-0 Ivy) began with a defensive struggle that lasted the entire first half. Neither team was able to score, and only nine shots were taken in the half.

Things changed in the second half, however, with both teams more aggressive on offense. Though the Lions outshot the Big Red 13-7 in the half, Cornell’s leading scorer, junior Catie De Stio, broke the scoreless tie. At just under 20 minutes into the second half, De Stio managed to steal the ball from a Light Blue player and score on the breakaway, giving Cornell a 1-0 lead.

Columbia did not wait long to strike back. At the end of the 64th minute, freshman midfielder/forward Katie DeSandis evened the score off a penalty shot. The score remained 1-1 until the end of regulation, forcing the first overtime period.

This time, it was the Big Red offense that dominated, outshooting the Light Blue 10-0 in the first overtime. But thanks to five saves by freshman goalkeeper Christie O’Hara—who had 12 saves total in the loss—and a strong Columbia defense, Cornell was unable to get a shot between the post, forcing a second overtime.

The second overtime was much like the first—the Big Red outshot the Lions 4-1, O’Hara made two saves, and the Light Blue defense did a good job of holding off the Cornell offense—until the very last second. With no time left on the clock, the Big Red’s Olivia Boyd, a sophomore midfielder, redirected a shot by junior midfielder Kate Thompson to give Cornell its seventh consecutive victory.

Junior midfielder Julia Garrison led Columbia with five shots (three on goal) in the losing effort.

Sunday’s contest at Syracuse (9-1, 2-0 Big East) was markedly different from Saturday’s game. Even though it took the Light Blue defense nearly 30 minutes to crack, once it did, it broke completely. The Orange outscored the Lions 6-0, outshot them 26-1, and held a 14-1 advantage in corners.
After almost 30 minutes of strong defense, Syracuse’s Heather Susek, a sophomore forward, scored off an assist from fellow sophomore Nicole Nelson.

This gave the Orange a 1-0 lead at the half.

At 46:27, Syracuse’s Lindsey Conrad scored the first of her three goals. This was followed with another goal by Susek less than a minute later.
Two more goals by Conrad and a score by freshman forward Kelsey Millman effectively ended any chance the Lions had at making a comeback.
Garrison took Columbia’s only shot of the game. O’Hara played only 53:39 in the goal, making three saves and allowing three goals before Erin Conway stepped in to complete the game.

The Light Blue’s schedule will not get any easier, as its next opponent is Ivy rival and seventh-ranked Princeton, the only team that has defeated Syracuse this season.