FAIRFIELD, Conn. – A trio of scores and a clean sheet on the defensive end helped the Columbia women's soccer team top Sacred Heart, 3-0, today in Connecticut.
 
The road victory moves the Lions to 3-1-1 on the season, with a match Sunday on deck against Rider.
 
Columbia kept the offensive aggression to the maximum early, with three shots on frame from the foot of Emma Anderson and another from Gracie Wall saved in the first 25 minutes. Although the first 32 minutes remained scoreless, the Lions changed that quickly with a pair of scores in just over a two-minute span.
 
Sophomore Jordyn Geller got the scoring started, netting her first career goal in the 33rd minute, thanks to an assist from Mallaika Tomar. The helper by Tomar was her team-leading third of the season, and got the Lions on the board, 1-0.
 
At the 35-minute mark, Maddie Temares doubled the Lion lead, scoring her second goal in the past three matches and giving Columbia a 2-0 lead, which they took into the half.
 
In the opening minutes of the second half, Anderson, Emily Koe, and Amaris Hemmings all had shots saved in a 50-second span, before Wall was able to break through in the scoring column. The sophomore added her second goal of the season in the 53rd minute, making it a 3-0 Lion edge.
 
With a comfortable lead after the Wall score, Columbia was able to get 22 players into the game, including 33 minutes of action for backup goalkeeper Marie Matthews. Combining with starter Sophie Whitehouse, the keepers recorded one save each, and kept the Pioneers off the board. The shutout victory for Whitehouse is her third of the season and 11th of her career.
 
Columbia out-shot Sacred Heart 22-5 on the afternoon, with 14 of those attempts coming on goal. Although she did not crack the scoring column, Anderson led the way with six shots, four of which were on net, while Geller had five attempts and two on goal.
 
On Sunday, the Lions welcome Rider (2-2-1), who lost today at Princeton, 2-0. The 1:00 p.m. match can be seen live on ESPN+.