Men's Soccer Opens Four-Game Road Trip With Ivy League Tilt at Princeton on Saturday
10/15/2009 9:30:00 AM | Men's Soccer
After a thrilling 1-0 victory over Penn last weekend on Soccer Alumni Day at Columbia Soccer Stadium, the Columbia University men's soccer squad will look for its second straight Ivy League victory as it travels to Princeton on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m., and a television broadcast of the match is available in the Central and Northern New Jersey area on Fios 1.
LAST TIME OUT
Backed by a strong defensive effort, the Columbia University men's soccer team picked up its first Ivy League victory of the season with a 1-0 shutout of Penn at Columbia Soccer Stadium. Junior Peppe Carotenuto scored the game's lone goal on a penalty kick in the 80th minute, after first-year Nick Scott was pulled down in the box. Sophomore Alexander Aurrichio was a force in net for the Lions, recording five saves and hauling in numerous cross chances as he notched his first shutout of the season.
SERIES HISTORY
Columbia holds the series advantage over Princeton, 27-18-7. The Lions had a streak of seven straight victories over the Tigers from 1994-2000, but have lost the last two contests.
LAST YEAR VS. PRINCETON
Two second-half goals by Princeton proved to be the difference as the Lions fell to the Tigers, 2-0, at Columbia Soccer Stadium. The Tigers found the back of the net in the 56th and 65th minutes, while Columbia had its best opportunity to get on the scoreboard in the 72nd minute as Hayden Johns hit the far post with his shot from 20 yards out.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Princeton is coming off a 1-1 tie with St. John's on Wednesday evening, a match which was nationally televised on ESPNU. The Tigers tied the Red Storm, which began the season ranked in the Top 5 nationally, on a goal from Lester Nare. In its two Ivy League matches, Princeton has dropped 4-2 decisions to Dartmouth and Brown. Josh Walburn leads the Tigers with six goals and has started all 11 matches in the midfield. Sean Lynch will likely get the nod in goal, and currently maintains a 1.46 GAA.
PENALTY KICK PIZZAZZ
The game-winning tally against Penn came by way of a penalty kick, as first-year Nick Scott was pulled down in the box by a Quaker defender in the 80th minute. Peppe Carotenuto found the back of the net to the left side for his first goal of the season. It was the team's first PK goal since Tom Heinbockel '08CC scored on one against Adelphi on Oct. 31, 2007.
O'DE TO DEFENSE
In his first career start, first-year Brendan O'Hearn stepped into a central defender position and played a critical role in the Lions' 1-0 victory over Penn. O'Hearn, who was a first team All-Arizona selection as a senior at Cactus Shadows High School last year, was on the pitch for all 90 minutes and helped Columbia to its first shutout of the season.
