Early Win Streak Ends for Lacrosse Over Break

The Columbia lacrosse team wasn't going to have a typical spring break. No trips abroad to Jamaica or Canada, no visits to the ocean shores of Long Beach or Daytona, not even a good chance to forget the winter drudge of Morningside Heights.

Instead, the Lions traveled to central Virginia to face fourteenth-ranked Richmond and then back to Manhattan for their Ivy opener against Cornell. Columbia was riding a three-game winning streak, having defeated Quinnipiac at home, 12-5, the Wednesday before break. They had the opportunities to prove themselves against a formidable adversary, and start Ivy League play with a win.

The team had no such luck. Both games were tight at halftime but fell through during the second halves, as Columbia lost to both Richmond, 10-6, and Cornell, 12-8.

The contest against Richmond foreshadowed the outcome of the Cornell game. Columbia led Richmond on their home turf at halftime, 4-3, with the Lions' sophomore attacker Holly Glynn and sophomore midfielder Rachael Ryan putting in two goals apiece. Richmond had managed to fire off 19 shots, but goalkeeper Emma Mintz and her defense allowed only three goals into the net. The second-period scoring opened with a Richmond goal by Mandy Friend 44 seconds into play to tie the game. The Lions' senior captain Kate Lombard responded with a free position goal four minutes later. Richmond then spent the next 20 minutes of the game being as productive as they could, notching six unanswered goals to lead by five. Columbia attacker Lauren Olsen had the final goal of the match, but it could not change the outcome, and the team submitted to its first loss of two over the course of the break.

In Saturday's game against Cornell, the first half unfolded in the Big Red's favor, but Columbia proved that it could keep up. Cornell outshot Columbia 16-10 in the first half, but the Lions nabbed more draw controls and ground balls than Cornell did. Ryan scored back-to-back goals, and junior attacker Samantha Morris, a transfer from Duke now in her first season with the Lions, scored an unassisted goal with one second remaining before the halftime horn, leaving Columbia trailing by one, 4-3.

Cornell hit the back of the goal only a minute and a half into the second period. Columbia captain and senior midfielder Katie Warner countered less than two minutes later with a goal assisted by Lombard. The Big Red came back with a vengeance and scored seven goals over the subsequent 15 minutes, their streak interrupted by Columbia goals from Warner and freshman Brittany Shannon. The Lions reeled in two more-the sole scoring of the final 12 minutes, chipping away at Cornell's six-goal lead-but the effort in the closing minutes of the game was too little to overcome Cornell, and the Lions dropped their Ivy opener to the Big Red, 12-8.

Six players scored for the Lions, with Ryan and Warner leading the team with two apiece. Though 12 balls got past her, Mintz recorded an impressive 13 saves. The team tied Cornell in draw controls and ground balls but was outshot 34-17. Columbia failed to garner an Ivy win last season and if the preconference rankings are accurate, the Lions will only face more challenging Ivy opponents as the season progresses.

Head coach Kerri Whitaker spoke before the season began about the excitement of Ivy League competition.

"It's another season in the league where the competition is some of the best in the country. I like that, I think that's fun. It's a challenge, and it's a great way to measure yourself," Whitaker said.

The spring holiday was a disappointing one for the lacrosse team, but it was able to show it can hold its own against some of the top competition of the sport. Whitaker's emphasis on discipline will serve as a fine preparation to bounce back from a pair of tough losses.

The Lions will get another chance to prove themselves in Ivy competition when they take on ninth-ranked Dartmouth next Sunday at home.