Field Hockey on Track for Best School Record

Columbia field hockey has made great strides this year and might be headed toward its best Ivy record in the school’s history. The Lions sit at 8-6, including a 3-2 mark in the Ivy League, and are in third place in the Ancient Eight.

On Sept. 26, Columbia’s record was at 3-5, 0-2 Ivy, and it looked as if it was going to be another disappointing year for the squad, which hadn’t finished above .500 since its 2000 run. However, Columbia proceeded to reel off five straight victories, including four shutouts, three coming against Ivy foes Brown, Penn, and Dartmouth.

The Brown game on Oct. 6 was the turning point for the squad. With two losses already in the Ivy League, it was a must-win game, and the team responded brilliantly. In the 4-0 victory, the team played a near-perfect game on both sides of the ball. The Light Blue executed corners with precision and finesse, and first-year forward Julia Garrison stood out. After assisting on the first goal, Garrison scored a real killer off a corner, dribbling the ball herself through numerous Bear defenders before slapping it into the back of the net. Garrison finished the game with two goals, an assist, and an astonishing seven shots. Heading into the game, the Lions were only averaging 1.4 goals per match. This kind of aggression was exactly what the team needed.

The Penn contest on Oct. 14 was also a match that the Lions needed to win. The Brown win was invigorating, but to put that in perspective, the Bears currently stand at a depressing 0-13 mark. Penn (3-2 Ivy) proved to be the first major Ivy opponent the Lions vanquished, although they had a difficult time attaining the win. The game was scoreless through regulation and had to be won on Ariel Leon’s overtime goal. The victory brought the Lions back to .500 in the Ivy League, and the team has been rolling over opponents ever since.

Junior goalkeeper Gena Miller represents the Lions’ bright spot this year, as she leads the Ivy League in shutouts, with five, and in average goals allowed at 0.94 per game, half a goal better than anyone else in the league. Miller also owns the highest save percentage in the Ancient Eight, clocking in at an impressive 83.1 percent.

Despite being out of contention for the Ivy title, the Lions have shown a lot of growth this year, boasting the Ivy’s best goalkeeper and a steadily improving offense. The upcoming week and a half will truly demonstrate where this team stands going into next season, as the Light Blue ends the season with a home stand against Yale and Harvard.