Soccer Looks for Second Win of the Season

Men’s soccer (1-5-1) will travel to Washington, D.C. today to play American University in what will be its final nonconference match before the beginning of Ivy League play. Last Wednesday’s win over Central Connecticut State was the team’s first of the season, and Columbia will look to extend that momentum in preparation for Saturday’s Ivy opener against Penn.

Although American is 5-5-1 on the season, the Light Blue is catching the opposition at an opportune time. The Eagles are just 1-3-1 in their last five matches, with a 6-1 loss to South Florida and a 5-0 loss to Virginia Commonwealth standing out in particular. But American’s recent decline contrasts sharply with its 4-2-0 start to the season, during which the Eagles were able to score a 2-0 victory over Ivy opponent Princeton.

The Lions will have to mark freshman forward Daniel Shannon, who was named Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week last week. Shannon had a hand in both of American’s goals in its 2-1 victory over Army last Saturday, scoring one and assisting on the other. He is also the current American leader in points scored.

Players to watch for on the Light Blue side include junior forward Tom Smith, who scored the winning goal against Central Connecticut last Wednesday, and senior Tom Davison, who has yet to break through this year, despite leading the team in scores last season. The freshman pair of Bayode Adafin and Pepe Carotenuto remains a threat on offense, as both have come close to finding the back of the net this season. Junior defender James Pounder remains the lynchpin of a Lions backline that has had to work very hard this season in the face of superior opponents controlling possession.

Action begins at 3 p.m.