Lions Rally To Take Down Fairfield, 5-4, in Shootout

Sunday, October 14

New York, N.Y.

12:00 P.M.

Columbia University

(7-5)

Fairfield

(10-5)

OT 4

OT 5

OT 6

Fairfield

Columbia

Photo by: Columbia University Athletics/Maryam K. Hassan

Lions Rally To Take Down Fairfield, 5-4, in Shootout

10/14/2018 3:02:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score Box Score (.pdf)Postgame Reaction

Columbia overcame a two-goal deficit in the second half, and after two scoreless overtimes, came away with a win in the first shootout for the program since 2011.

NEW YORK – Trailing 4-2 with under 12 minutes to play, the Columbia field hockey team scored a pair of goals in a 2:24 span to force overtime and came away with a 5-4 shootout win over Fairfield Sunday afternoon. In the shootout, the Lions (7-5) won by a 3-2 count with Kelsey Farkas, Danielle Buttinger and Jaimie McCormick converting on their tries.

Emily Maclean started the rally with her second of the season in the 59^th minute when her shot off a corner got by the Stags' (10-5) defense and goalkeeper Caitlin Gilligan. Jennifer Trieschman provided the equalizer moments later after blasting a shot from the top of the circle off a long transition pass from Farkas, who had two assists on the day.

In the first overtime, Fairfield generated three penalty corner opportunities and forced Katie Dempsey to make three crucial saves throughout the frame to extend the game. Neither team registered a shot in the second overtime to force the skills competition.

After Farkas scored on the opening try, Dempsey turned away the first Stags' shooter. Fairfield then matched Buttinger and McCormick's conversions before Columbia's senior netminder kept the final two attempts out of the cage.

The Lions started fast, generating two corners in the opening two minutes of play. Trieschman gave Columbia a 1-0 lead with a deflection off a Brooke Gasser shot on a set-piece, but Fairfield knotted things up in the eighth minute. Corinne Perschietti picked up rebound attempt from about 10-yards out for her third of the year before the Lions quickly regained the advantage.

Just 27 seconds later, Emma Domich took the ball from the left side and sent a long centering pass to a wide-open Emma Wiklund in front. Wiklund coolly buried the chance for her first collegiate goal.

From there, the Stags potted goals in the 21^st and 30^th minutes to take a 3-2 lead at the half. Fairfield's leading scorer Emma Matlach lit the lamp with a tricky shot that beat Dempsey five-hole for her ninth of the season. Sam Giordano put the Stags in front for the first time with a hard shot from the left wing, set up directly off a corner insert from Danielle Profita.

Cassie Hughes doubled the margin in the 50^th minute, taking advantage of another one of the Fairfield's 15 corners on the day before the Lions' comeback.

The shootout was the first for Columbia since a 1-0 win over Lafayette on October 25, 2011 and is just the fourth in school history. The Lions are now 2-2 in those games.

Columbia will remain at home this Friday, October 19, when they face off against Dartmouth for a 2 p.m. contest. The game is the first athletics matchup on Homecoming Weekend. Admission is free and the game will be shown live on ESPN+.