After dropping a disappointing Ivy League match to Princeton, the Columbia men’s soccer team (3-7-1, 1-2 Ivy) faced Villanova (8-5-2) on Tuesday in hopes of winning a match against a nonconference foe. But the Lions were unable to follow through on their shots—a recurring problem this season—resulting in a 1-0 victory for the Wildcats.
In Saturday’s match against Princeton, the Lions fell in a 3-0 shutout. While the Tigers were able to breach the Columbia defense and pick up two goals in the second half alone, the Light Blue was unable to create dynamic scoring opportunities, as Princeton outshot them 13-5.
After that defeat, the Lions journeyed to Villanova for a match against the Wildcats. Both teams took the field a strong head of steam, each recording shots within the first three minutes.
In the 13th minute, Villanova senior Mike Seamon received a pass from teammate Kevin Garcia and drove a shot in the right of the box that Lions goalkeeper Alexander Aurrichio could not stop. This goal gave Seamon his fourth tally of the season and the Wildcats a 1-0 advantage that they would hold onto for the remainder of the match.
Lions forward Bayo Adafin tried in the 27th minute to notch the equalizer, but Villanova goalkeeper Chris Bresnahan anticipated the shot and made the save, preserving the 1-0 score. Despite a late surge, the Lions couldn’t solve Bresnahan and settled for a 1-0 defeat.
As in previous matches, the Lions offense was unable to find the back of the net, as the Wildcats outshot them 13-8. However, the defense, normally a bright spot, has become incapable of stopping opponents’ runs in the past matches. With only six matches left in the season, the Lions will have to improve play in all aspects of the game if they hope to turn their luck around.
The Lions return to the pitch on Saturday, Oct. 24 with an away game against No. 20 Dartmouth.
COMMENTS
Comments will be moderated in accordance with our comment policy