After experiencing a close 1-0 shutout at Lafayette, the Columbia men’s soccer team (4-8-1, 2-2 Ivy) resumes Ivy League play on Saturday as it takes on Yale (4-7-3, 1-3 Ivy). Though the Bulldogs currently stand seventh in the league while the Lions are tied with the Tigers for fourth, Yale has defeated the Lions for the past four years straight, leading the overall series 30-23-5.
Last year, the two teams clashed in a 90 minute thriller. The Lion began the scoring, as current captain Mike Mazzullo headed in a free kick from co-captain Peppe Carotenuto in the 11th minute, giving the Light Blue a 1-0 advantage.
The lead did not last long as the Bulldogs answered the goal resoundingly with three of their own in the first half alone. The first tally came at the end of 28th minute, as senior Jordan Raybould passed to Aden Farina-Henry and set his teammate up for a goal into the top of the net. Only one minute later, Andy Hackbarth drove a pass by Kevin Pope straight into the goal.
In the 39th minute, Yale scored again, as Sam Post added another goal on a straight shot from 15 yards out. This goal put the Bulldogs ahead with a solid 3-1 advantage near the end of the first half. Carotenuto, however, managed to convert another free kick into a score, bringing the Lions within a goal of the Bulldogs at 3-2 at the end of the second half.
The match was decided in the second half, as the Bulldogs cemented their lead in the 71st minute with an elaborate goal from Pope put away in the lower left corner of the net. Though the Lions outshot the Bulldogs 15-13, they could not sustain the momentum from the first half to tie the score. Lions goalkeeper Alexander Aurrichio picked up four saves and allowed four goals, while Bulldogs goalie Travis Chulick made three saves and only allowed two goals.
In the Bulldogs’ last time out on the pitch, the team faced Ivy foe Penn (5-6-3, 1-2-1 Ivy), where the Quakers picked up their first conference win. Despite being outshot 12-7, Yale held Penn until the 68th minute when Travis Cantrell converted the rebound off a blocked shot into a goal from within the box. This goal marked the only tally of the match.
Both teams have improved since last year, especially the Lions’ defense which was impenetrable early in the season and in their recent weekend game against the Big Green.
The Lions face the Bulldogs on Halloween at the Columbia Soccer Stadium. Kick-off is set for 7 p.m.
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