NEW HAVEN, Conn. ? At home or on the road, Columbia continues to win in the Ivy League.
For the second straight league game, the Lions scored two second-half goals, as Columbia defeated Yale 2-0 at Reese Stadium.
Emma Judkins scored the go-ahead goal with 31:19 left in regulation to break the scoreless tie and Shannon Munoz put home her team-high eighth goal of the season with 1:31 left to play as the Columbia defense continued to dominate, posting its sixth shutout in the last seven matches.
After Columbia controlled possession early in the first half, Yale had the better chances of the latter part of the first half.
The Bulldogs' Maggie Westfal broke in on the right side in the 20th minute but Emma Judkins was there for the tackle to deny the chance.
In the 27th minute, Crysti Howser broke free in front and whipped a header that nailed the crossbar and seven minutes later, the Bulldogs had an apparent goal nullified by an offside call.
The Lions scored in the 59th minute after drawing a foul line near the edge of the goal line and end line. Munoz took the free kick and placed a tremendous ball into the box. Judkins nailed a header that found the back of the net to give Columbia a 1-0 lead.
Yale pressed ahead with the wind at their back, but could not mount a decent chance after the first goal despite holding the ball in the Columbia end for a large majority of the second half.
“They're a fantastic attacking team,” head coach Kevin McCarthy said. “But our backs and our keeper were very well-connected to deny those chances.”
After a tense 30 minutes, the Lions tacked on an insurance goal in the 89th minute. After a pass ahead from Meghan Hurlbut, Shannon Munoz broke through around the corner, past one defender and lofted a high shot that slipped under the crossbar to give Columbia a 2-0 edge and seal the victory.
The win is the sixth in a row for Columbia and the fourth straight Ivy League victory for the Lions, who improve to 5-0-1 in the league, and stay a point ahead of second-place Dartmouth.
Columbia can clinch its first Ivy League title with a win at Harvard on Saturday, Nov. 4. Game time is 11 a.m.
